The Island Home

THE

LAND H O M

OR

THE ADVENTURES

OF

SIX YOUNG CRUSOES

BY

RICHARD ARCHER

" Here were realized
My boyhood's earliest dreams of islis that lie

In farthest depths of ocean ; girt with all

Of natural wealth and splendour— jewell'd isles,

Boundless in unimaginable spoils,

That earth is stranger to/'

LONDON

GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS, Limited

BROADWAY, LUDGATE HILL
GLASGOW, MANCHESTER AND NEW YORK

The Alarm.— P- 29.

The "White Shark.— P. 57.

?^^

J

t

''Witli one imimlse we kneeled down." — P, 147,

Tlui lyhuid Breakfast.— P. ISC.

Arthur's Stoi-y. — P.,249.

The Flight. —P. 26]

Taking possession of the Frenchman's Hut.— P. 356.

THE ISLAND HOME.

CHAPTER I.

r

INTRODUCTION.

" A wet slieet and a flowing sea,

A breeze that follows fast,
Tliat fills the white and rustling sail.

And bends the gallant mast.
And bends the gallant mast, my boys,

Our good 3hip sound and free,

The hollow oak our palace is,
Our heritage the sea."

It is now some twenty years ago. that the goodly ship
Washington, commanded by Mr. Erskine, left the port of
Kew York, on a trading voyage to the East Indian archi-
pelago. With a select few good seamen, the owners had
also placed on "board some youths of their own families and
immediate connections.

Having passed through the Straits of Magellan in safety,
they were then on their way to Canton, ^^'here the young
men were to be settled ; and meanwhile the ship was to
visit any of the isles in the Pacific Ocean that lay in the ir
path. After some little delay on the part of the capta in
among the numerous groups of isles, the purpose of the
voyage w^as frustrated by the events narrated in the
volume. The extreme beauty of the "wild loveliness of
nature that these islets exhibited, tempted the young men,

4 iNTKODUCTiolf.

4

accompanied by Mr. Frazer, one of the officerSj to land oti
one that presented great charms of scenery, as "well as
having a convenient and easily accessible landing-place,
and from that point the narrative commences.

It is not necessary for the elucidation of the narrative,
to name more of the crew than those whose adventures
are hereafter related by one of the party. The names of
these castaways were John Browne, the son of a Glasgow
merchant; William Morton, and Maximilia^a Adeler, of
New York ; Bichard Archer, from Connecticut, the joui*-
nalist; John Livingstone, from Massachusets ; Arthur
Hamilton, whose parents had settled at Tahieti ; and to

them was joined Eiulo, prince of Tewa, in the South Seas.
The narrative commences from the time of the party
landing, and although in some parts prolix and unequal,
being evidently from an unpractised hand, it bears all the
characteristics of a boyish mind, and thus to a certain ex-
tent confirms its genuineness. The sayings and doings of

the young adventurei's are recorded with the minute-
ness that to older heads seems tedious. This disposition
to dwell upon, and to attach importance to things com-
paratively trivial, is peculiar to the youthful mind, and
marks that period of freshness, joyousness, and inexpe-
rience, when every thing is new, and possesses the power
to surprise and to interest.

What became of the ship and crew we are not informed ;
but we may conclude, that insubordination would lead to
neglect and carelessness, and tbat the vessel was wrecked
and plundered by the natives, and the wretched crew
mui'dered or detained.

The South Pacific Ocean abounds with thousands of
islands, of a vast many of which we have no account ; but
tlio e mentioned in these pages appear to be tbe Samo

INTRODUCTION. 5

fche KingsmiUj and the Feejee Groups of islauda, which lie
nearly under the equator, and they are described by Cap-
tain Charles Wilkes, in his narrative of the United States
Exploring Expedition between the years 1838 and 1842.
These islands were all visited by the different vessels en-
gaged in the expedition ; many of them appear to be of
volcanic formation, others are of coral origin ; they are all
characterised as possessing an exceedingly fertile soil ; they
abound with a picturesque beauty of scenery, and luxu-
riant vegetation, which excites the most painful feelings
when we learn, that where nature has bestowed s^o much
bounty, the inhabitants are, it la greatly to be feared,
cannibals. In some two or three islands, a solitary white
man was found, one of whom, Paddy Connell, (an Irishman,
of course,) a short, wrinkled old man, with a beard reach-
ing to his middle, in a rich Milesian brogue, related his
adventures during a forty years' residence at Ovolau,
one of the Feejees. Paddy, with one hundred wives, and
forty-eight children, and a vast quantity of other live
stock, expressed his content and happiness, and a deter-
mination to die on the island. Jn other cases, the white

men expressed au earnest desire to quit the island, and
were received on board the expedition^ to the great grief
of their wives and connections.

The Samoan Islands are of volcanic structure, with coral
reefs, and the harboui-s are generally within these reefs ;
and one of them was discovered by Commodore Byron in
1765, who reported it as destitute of inhabitants. Their
character is variable, and during the winter months they
have long and heavy rains, and destructive hurricanes
sometimes occur. The air is generally moist, and light
vvdnds and calms during the summer, render vegetation
luxuriant*

6 INTRODUCTION.

The "woods in the interior of these islands are very thicK,
and are composed of large and fine trees ; there are pan-
danus, palms, tree ferns, and a remarkable species of
banyan, whose pendant branches take root to the num-
ber of thousands, formuig steps of all dimensions, uniting
to the main trunk, more than eight feet above the ground,
and supporting a vast system of horizontal branches,
spreading like an umbrella over the tops of other trees.,
Th^ bread fruit is the most abundant of all the trees, and
grows to a very large size ; the cocoa nut, the wild oi'ange,
and the lime, are all to be found. Bamboos, wild sugar-
cane, wild nutmeg, besides many others, only require cul-
tivation. Caoutchouc, gum arable, castor beans, ginger,
orris root, and coffee, will in time be added to these pro*
ductions. Lemons and sweet oranges have already been
planted, and promise a large product.

Swine are abundant, and cattle rapidly increasing.
Poultry of all kinds is very plentiful, and fish are taken
in abundance.

The beneficent effects of missionary labours are very
evident amongst the Samoans ; tliey are not now subject to
wars, and for crimes they have punishment.

Their habits are regular ; thoy i-ise with the sun, and
after a meal, bathe and oil themselves, and then go to
their occupations for the day ; they eat at one o'clock, and
again at eight, retiring to rest about nine. The raen do
all the hard work, even to cookery. The women are held
in much consideration, and are treated with great kind-
ness and attention. They take care of the house and chil-
dren, prepare the food for cooking, and manufacture the
mats, &c.

Their houses are carefully constructed, generally occu-
pying eighteen months in building ; the floor is paved

INTRODCCTIOir. 7

witli small round stones^ and divisions or separate apart-
ments formed. In some villages, broad walks and paths are
kept in nice order. The females generally wear a kind of
robe, similar to the poncho of the South Americans ; and
although not what may be termed pretty, they have some
degree of bashfalness, which renders them interesting iff
appearance ; when young, they are but little darker than
a brunette, or South American Spaniard.

The entire population of the group is estimated at
60,000, of whom more than one-fourth have embraced

r

Chi'istianitv, and it is understood that more than two-
thirds of the poiimlation are favouring the progress of the
gospel. Many thousands attend the schools of the mis-
sionaries, and the habit of reading is fast obliterating the
original religion and superstitions of the race.

Of the Kingsmill Groups we possess a very sad account;
one named Drummond's Island, which is of coral foi'ma-
tion, is about thirty miles long, and alx>ut three-quarters
of a mile in width. The island is covered with cocoa-nut
and pandanua trees, but not a patch of grass was seen.
The character of these islanders is of the most savage
kind; their ferocity led to the belief that they are canni-
bals ; one seaman of the expedition was carried off, and
all attempts to rescue him were unavailing. Clad in coats
of mail, and helmets made of the skin of a horny kind of
fish, with weapons of the most frightful character, formed
from the teeth of some of the voracious monsters of the
deep, they appeared to the number of more than five h.r.n-
dred, prepared for resistance ; their numbers continui?;^'
to increase. The officer in command, considered it both
useless and dangerous to continue on the land. Failing to
procure the desired end, prior to returning, the command-
ing officer determined to show the power of their arms,

8 INTRODUCTION.

and having shot the leader of the savages dead, by a rocket
and a volley, set their town, which was close to the beach,
in flames ; and the houses being formed of easily combus-
tible material, a very short time sufficed to reduce tho
whole to ashes. The number of houses was supposed to
be about three hundred.

The people appear to be under no control whatever, and
possess little of the characteristic hospitality usually found
among other savage tribes.

It was observed that their treatment of each other ex-
hibited a great want of feeling ; and in many instances
their practices were indicative of the lowest state of bar-
barism. Their young girls are freely offered for sale by
their fathers and brothers, and without concealment ; and
to drive a bargain is the principal object of their visits to
a ship.

The KingsmiU Group, which consists of fifteen islands,
are all of coral formation — evei'y one appears a continuous
grove of cocoa-nut and pandanus trees — they are all densely
inhabited. From one of these islands, John Kirby, a de-
serter from an English whaler, was taken, who had resided
there three years. He stated that the natives do some-
times eat human flesh ; but their general food is fish. That
these islands have been peopled at a period not very re-
mote is tolex^ably certain, as the natives state that only a
few generations back, the people were fewer than at
present, and that then there were no wars.

The islanders of this group difier from other Poly-
nesians, and they more nearly resemble the Malays. They
are of a dark copper colour, are of middle size, well made,
and slender. Their hair is fine, black, and glossy — their
beards and mustaches black, and fine as the hair of their
Ijeads. The f^verage height of the men is five feet eiglit

INTRODIJCl'IOK.

inches. The ■women are much smaller — they have delicate
features, slight fibres, and are generally pretty.

The Feejee Group excel all other islands of Polynesia in
their luxuriant and picturesque beauty — they produce all
kinds of tropical fruits and vegetables — the bread-fruitj of
which there are nine kinds, flourishes in great perfection ;
the banana, cocoa-nut, and chestnut, the orange, the lemon,
and the guava, the pine-apple, and tlie nutmeg, are all to
be found ; and the yam, which attains the length of above
four feet, is the principal food of the inhabitants ; besides
these, the sugar-cane and turmeric are largely cultivated, and
diflFerent varieties are found growing wild. Although the
Feejeeans have made considerable progress in several use-
ful arts, they are in many respects the most barbarous and
savage race now existing upon the globe. Having had
considerable intercourse with white men, some effect has
been produced in their political condition, but it has had
no effect in mitigating the ferocity of their character.
Messrs. Lythe and Hunt, missionaries at Vuna, one of the
Feejees, have given a circumstantial account of a cannibal

feast, for the preparation of which they were eyewitnesscg.
The missionaries having heard v^mionrs that the king had
sent for some men belonging to a retractory town not far
from the capital, with the intention of killing them, an<?
afterwards feasting on their bodies, they went to the
old kinof to ur^ce him to desist from so horrid and barbarous
a repast, and warned him that a time would come when he
would be punished for it. The king referred them to his
son ; but the savage propensities of the latter rendered it
impossible for them to turn the savage from his barbarous
purpose. They afterwards saw the bodies cut up and
cooked. On two of these islands, however, the efforts of
missionaries have been rewarded with some success ; for

10 INTR0DUCT10>'.

the Rev. Mr. Calvert, belonging to the \yesleyan society,
assured the officers of the expedition, that in those islands
heathenism was fast passing away, and that cannibalism
was there extinct ; bnt it must be observed that many of
the residents on those two islands were Ton^ese, amontj
whom it is well known the light of the gospel of Christ
has long prevailed.

On one of those isles are five hot springs, the tempera-
ture of which is 200 degrees j the rocks in the neighbour-
hood is of volcanic creation — there is no smell of sulphur
unless the head is held close to the water ; but the water
has a very strong bitter saline taste. These springs are
used by the natives to boil their yams, which it does sim-
ply by putting them into the springs, and covering them
with grass and leaves, and, although the water had scarcely

any appearance of boiling before, rapid ebullition ensues.

The yams are well done in fifteen minutes.

The population of the Feejee Group is supposed to be
about 130,000. Their towns are all on the sea-shore, as
the cnief food is fish. The Feejeeans are very ingenious
at canoe -building and carpentry, and, curious enough, the
barber is a most important personage, as they take great
pains and pride in dressing their hair. Their houses are
from twenty to thirty feet in length, and about fifteen feet
in height— all have fireplaces, as they cook their food,
which is done in jars, very like an oil jar in form.

All these isles are girt by white encircling reefs, which,
standing out at some distance from the shore, forms a
natural harbour, so that, when a vessel has once entered,
it is as secure as in an artificial dock. There is generally
but one entrance through the reef, and the difficulty of
discovering it is well described by the Young Crusoes.
Each one has its own peculiar beauty; but Ovolau exceeds

INTROPUCTION. 1*

all others ; it is the highest, the most broken, and the most
picturesque.

Having thus introduced our readers to the scene of these
adventureSj ■we proceed to give the narrative in the words
of the journalist of the Young Castaway*.

12 THE TROPICAL ISLAKD*

CHAPTER II,

tf^

niE TROPICAL ISLAND,

A COCOA-PALM — VIEWS OF DESERT-ISLAND tlFE.

*' O liad we some bright little isle of our own,
In tlie blue summer ocean, far off and alonej

Wa^^dering along the shore (taking care to keep iu sight
of Ml'. Frazer, under whose convoy, in virtue of his double-
barrelled fo-wlingpiece, we considered ourselves), we came

to a low and narrow point, running out a little way into

the sea, the extremity of which was adorned by a stately
group of cccoa-nut trec.^.

The spot seemed ill adapted to support vegetation of so
magnificent a growth, and nothing less hardy than the
cocoa-palm could have derived nourishment from such a
soil. Several of these fine trees stood almost at the water's
edge, springing from a bed of sand, mingled with black
basaltic pebbles, and coarse fragments of shells and coral,
where their roots were washed by every rising tide : yet
their appearance was thrifty and flourishing, and they were
thickly covered with close-packed bunches of tassel-like,
straw-coloured blossoms, and loaded with fruit in various

stages of growth.

Jolinny cast a wistful glance at tJv compact clusters of

fHfi TROPldAL TSLAi^t). 13

iiuta, nestling beneath the graceful tufts of long leaves that
crowned each straight and tapering trunk; but he had so
recently learned from experienc«j the hopelessness of under-
Tiiking to climb a cocoa-nut tree, that he was not at present
disposed to renew the attempt Max, however, who greatly
valued himself upon his agility, and professed to l-e able to
do any thing that could be done, in the way of climbing,
manifested an intention to hazard his reputation by mak-
ing the doubtful experiment. After looking carefully
around, he selected for the attempt, a young tree near the
shore, growing at a considerable inclination from the per-
pendicular ; and clasping it firmly, he slowly commenced
climbing, or rather creeping, along the slanting trunk, while
Johnny watched the operation from below, with an interest
as intense as if the fate of empires depended upon the result.

Max, who evidently considered his character at stake,
and who climbed for "glory," rather than for cocoa-nuts,
proceeded with caution and perseverance. Once he partly
lost his hold, and swung round to the under side of the
trunk, but by a resolute and vigorous effort he promptly
recovered his position, and finally succeeded in establishing
himself quite comfortably among the enormous leaves that
drooped from the top of the tree. Here he seemed dis-
posed to rest for a while, after his arduous and triumphant
exertions, and he sat, looking complacently down upon ua
from his elevated position, without making any attempt
to secure the fruit which hung within his reach in abundant
clusters.

" Hurrah ! ' cried Johnny, capering about, and clapping hia
hands with glee, as soon as this much desired consummation
was attained, " Now, Max, pitch down the nuts ! "

Having teased Johnny, and enjoyed the impatience caxised
by the tantalizing deliberation of his own movements, Mas

' r

14 THE TROPICAL ISLAXD.

detached two entire clusters of nuts from the tree, which
furnished us an abundant supply.

Selecting a pleasant spot beside the beach, we sat down
to discuss the cocoa-nuts at our leisure, which occupied us
some little time. Upon looking round, after we had finish-
ed, we discovered that our convoy had disappeared, and
Johnny, whose imagination was continually haunted by
visionary savages and cannibals, manifested considerable
uneasiness upon finding that we were alone.

As the sun was already low in the west, and we sup-
posed that the party engaged in getting wood had, in all
probability, finished their work, we concluded to return,
and to wait for ISIi*, Frazer, and the rest of the shore party
at the boats, if we should not find them already there.

As we skirted the border of the grove, on our return,
Johnny every now and then cast an uneasy glance towards
its darkening recesses, as though expecting to see some
wild animal, or a yelling troop of tattooed islandei's rush
out upon us. The forest commeuced about two hundred
yards from the beach, fz*om which there was a gradual
ascent, and was composed of a greater variety of trees than
I had observed on the other islands of a similar size ut
which we had previously landed. Arthur called our at-
tention to a singular and picturesque group of Tourne-
fortias, in the midst of which, like a patriarch surrounded
by his family, stood one of imcommon size, and covered
with a species of fern, which gave it a striking and re-
markable appearance. The group covered a little knoll,
that crowned a piece of rising ground, advanced a short
distance beyond the edge of the forest. It was a favour-
able spot for a survey of the scene around us. The sua,
now hastening to his setting, w^as tinging all the western
gcean with a rich vermilion glow. The smootli white

THE TROPICAL ISLAND. 16

beach before us, upon which the long-rolling waves broke
in even succession, retired in a graceful curve to the right,
and was broken on the left by the wooded point already
mentioned.

As you looked inland, the undulating surface of the
island, I'ising gx-adually from the shore, and covered with
the wild and luxuriant vegetation of the tropics, delighteA
the eye by its beauty and variety. The noble Bread-fruit
tree — its arching branches clothed with its peculiarly rich
and glossy foliage j the elegantly shaped Casuarina, the
luxuriant Pandanus, and the Palms, with their stately
trunks, and green crests of nodding leaves, imparted to the
scene a character of oriental beauty.

"Why do they call so lovely a spot as this a desei"t
island, I wonder ?" exclaimed Johnny, after gazing around
him a few moments in silence.

" Did you ever hear of a desert island that wasn't a
lovely spot ?" answered Max. *'Why, your regular desert
island should combine the richest productions of the tem-
perate, torrid, and frigid zones — a choice selection of tlie
fruits, flowers, vegetables, and animals, of Europe, Asia,
and Africa. This would by no means come up to the
average standard. I doubt if you could find upon it so
much as a goat, or a poll-parrot, much less an * onager,' a
buffalo, or a boa-constrictor, some of which at least ai^e in-
dispensable to a desert island of any respectability."

" Why, then, do they call such delightful places desert
islands?" repeated Johnny. " I always thought a desert
was a baiTen wilderness, where there was nothing to be
seen but sand, and rocks, and Arabs."

** I believe they are more properly called desolate islands"
said Arthur ; "and that seems proper enough; for even
this island with all its beauty, is supposed to be uniu-

16 fHE TROPICAL ISLA57D.

habitetlj and it woiild be a very lonely auJ desolate home,

"VVould you like to live here, Johnny, like Robinson Crusoe,
or the Swiss family 1 "

" l!Tot all alone, like Robinson Crusoe. no ! that "would
be horrible ; but I think we might all of us together live
here beautifully a little while, if we had plenty of pro-
visiong, and plenty of arms to defend ourselves against the

savages ; and then of course we should want a honso to
live in, too."

" Nonsense," said Max, " what should we want of pro-
visions ? — the sea is full of fish, and the forest of birds ;
the trees are loaded with fruit ; there are oysters and
other shell-fish in the bays, and no doubt there are various
roots, good for food, to be had by digging for them. As to
a house, we might sleep very comfortably, in such weather
as this, under these Tournefortias, and never so much as

think of taking cold ; or we could soon build a serviceable
but, which would be proof against sun and rain, of the
trunks and boughs of trees, with a thatch of palm-leaves
for a roof. Then in regard to arms, of course, if it should
be our fate to set up for desert islanders, we should be
well supplied in that line. I never heard of any one, from
Kobinson Crusoe down, being cast away on a desert island,
without a good store of guns, pistols, cutlasses, &c. &c. Such
a thing would be contrary to all precedent, and is not for
a moment to be dreamed of."

" But we haven't any arms," said Johnny, " except those
4>ld rusty cutlasses that Spot put into the yawl, and if we
should be cast away, or left hei*e, for instance, where should
we get them from ? "

" O, but we are not cast away yet," replied Max. " This
is the way the thing always happens. When people ar«
cast away, it is in a ship, of course,"

TKE THOIUCAL ISLAND. 17

" Why, yes; 1 suppose so," said Johnny, rather doubtfully.

** Well — the ship is always abundantly supplied with
every thing necessary to a desert island life ; she is driveu
ashore ; the castaways — the future desert islanders — by
dint of wonderful good fortune, get safely to land ; the rest
of course are all di'owned, and so disposed of; then, in due
time, the ship goes to pieces, and every thing needful is

washed ashore and secured by the islanders — that's the
i-egular course of things — isn't it, Ai*thur 1"

" Ye3, 1 believe it is, according to the story-books, which
are the standard sources of information on the subject."

" Or sometimes," pursued Max, " the ship gets comfort-
ably wedged in between two convenient rooks (which seem
to have been designed for that special purpose), so that
the castaways can go out to it on a raft, or float of some
kind, and carry off every thing they want — and singularly
enough, although the vessel is always on the point of going
to pieces, that catastrophe never takes place, until every
thing which can be of any use is secured."

" Do you suppose, Arthur," inquired Johnny, " that
there are many uninhabited islands, that have never been

discovered V^

•'There are believed to be a great many of them,'
answered Arthur, "and it is supposed that new ones are
constantly being foz'med by the labours of the coral insect.
A bare ledge of coral first appears, just at the surface ; it
arrests floating substances, weeds, trees, &c. ; soon the sea

birds begin to resort there ; by the decay of vegetable and
auimal mattur a thin soil gradually covers the foun latioa
of coral ; a cocoa-nut is drifted upon it by the winds, or the
currents ol the sea; it takes root, springs up, its fniit
ripens and falls, and in a few years tiie whole new-formed

island is covered with waving gi-oves "

B

18 THE TROPICAL ISLAND.

" Mr, Frazer says he has no doubt that these seas swarm
with such islands, and that many of them have never been
discovered," said Max ; besides, here's poetry for ife ; -

" O many are the beauteous isles,

Unseen by human eye,
That sleeping ^uid the Ocean smiles,

In Jiappy silence lie.
The ship may pass them in the uight,
Nor the sailors know what lovely sight

Is sleeping on the main ;"

but this poetical testimony will make Arthur doubt the
fact altogether."

" Not exactly," answered Arthur, " though I am free to
admit, that without Mr. Frazer's opinion to back it, your
poetical testimony would not go very far with me."

" Hark ! There go Mr. Frazer's two barrels," cx-ied Max,
as two reports in quick succession were heard, coming ap-
parently from the grove, in the direction of the spring ;

**he has probably come across a couple of * rare sneclmciis^'
vo be added to hia stuffed collection."

TBB ALARM AHV THE CONFLICT. JP

OHAPTEB III.

THE ALARM AND THE CONFLICT

T>iE MT'TINEERS — THE RACE FOR LIFE — THE CORAl. LEDGE — A FINAL

EFFOKT — A BRIEF WARNrNa — THE STRANGE SAIL.

** Now bend the straining rowers to tlieir oars ;
Fast the light sliallops leave the lessening shores,
No rival crews in emulous sport contend,
But life and death upon the event depend."

The next moment wo "were startled by a quick, fierce
shout, followed immediately by along, piercing, and dis-
tressful cry, proceeding from the same quarter from which
the reports of fire-arms had been heard ; and before we

had time to conjecture the cause or meaning of these
frightful sounds, Morton bounded like a deer from the

vrove, about a hundred yards from the spot where wo were
standing, and ran swiftly towards us, crying out — "To the
boats ! for your lives to the boats ! "

Our first thought was, that the party at the spring had
been attacked and massacred by the natives. Arthur
seized Johnny by one hand, and motioned to me to take
the other, which I did, and without stopping to demand
any explanations, we started at a rapid pace, in the direc-
tion of the yawl, Max taking the lead — Arthur and myself,
dragging Johnny between us, coming next, and IVIorton a
few paces behind ua, bringing up the rear- It took but a fow

10 THE AIiARM AND THE OoyFLlCT.

moments to enable ua to reacli the spot where the yawl
lay, hauled up upon the beach. There was no one in her,
or in sight, except Browne, who was comfortably stretched
out near the boat, sound asleep, with au open book lying
'•eaide him.

Morton aroused the sleeper by a violent shake. " Now,
then,** cried he, "let us get the boat into the water; tlie
tide ia down, and the yawl is heavy; we shall wait iill
the strength we can muster."

By a united effort we got the yawl to the edge of the
surf,

Browne, though not yet thoroughly awake, could not

but observe our pale faces and excited appearance, and

gazing from one to another in a bewildered manner, he

asked what was the matter ; but no one made any answer.

Moi'ton lifted Johnny into the boat, and asked the rest of

us to get in, except Arthur, saying that they two would

push her through the surf.

"Hold!" cried Arthur, "let us not be too fast; some

of the others may escape the savages, and they will natu-
rally run this way — we must not leave them to be mur-
dered."

*' There are no savages in the case," answered Morton,

" and there is no time to be lost ; the men have killed the
first ofl&cer, and Mr. Frazer, too, I fear ; and they will take
the ship and commit more murders, unless we can get
there before them, to warn those on board."

This was more horrible than any thing that we Jiad
anticipated; but we had no time to dwell upon it; the
sound of oai's rattling in the row-locks, was heard iroiu

beyond the point.

"There are the mutineers!" cried Morton j "but I
think that we have the advanta;i;e of them i they must puU

tHE ALARM AND THE CONFLICT. SI

found yonder point, which will make at least a quarter of
a mile's difference in the distance to the ship."

" There is uo use in trying to get to the ship before
them," said Max, "the long-boat pulls eight oars^ and
there are men enough to fill her."

'* There is use in trying ; it would be shameful not to
try ; if they pull most oars, ours is the lightest boat," an-
swered Morton with vehemence.

" It iii out of the question," said Browne ; "see, iB there
any hope that we cau succeed?" and he pointed to the
bow of the long-boat, just a])pearing from behind the point,

" O, but this is not right ! — Browne ! Max ! in the
name of all that is honourable, let us make the attempt,"
urged Morton, laying a hand in an imploring manner on
the arm of each. " Shall we let them take the ship and
murder our friends, without an effort to warn them of
tlieir danger ? You, Arthur, are for making the attempt,
I know — this delay is wrong : the time is precious."

" Yes, let us try it," said Arthur, glancing rapidly from
the long-boat to the ship, " if we fail, no harm is done,
except that we incur the anger of the mutineers. I, for
one, am willing to take the risk."

Max sprang into the boat, and seized an oar without
another word,

" You know well, that I am willing to share any danger
with the r3st, and that it was not the danger that made
me hesitate," said Browne, laying his hand on Morton*3
shoulder, and looking earnestly into his face ; and then, ia
his usual deliberate manner, he followed Max's example.

Morton, Arthur, and myself, now pushed the boat into
the surf, and sprang in. At Arthur's request, I took the

rudder; he and Morton seized the two remaining oars,
and the four commenced pulliruc with a degree of cooluess

22 THE ALARM AND THE CONPUCT.

and vigour, that would not have disgraced older and more
practised oarsmen. As I saw the manner in which they
bent to their work, and the progress we were making, I
began to think our chance of reaching the ship before the
trew of the long-boat, by no means desperate.

Morton, in spite of his slender figure and youthful ap-
pearance, which his fresh, ruddy complexion, blue eyes,
and brown curling locks, rendered almost effeminate, pos-
sessed extraordinary strength, and indomitable energy.

Browne, though his rather heavy frame and breadth of
shoulders gave him the appearance of greater strength
than he actually possessed, was undoubtedly capable,
when aroused, of more powerful temporary exertion than
any other of our nuTuber ; though in point of activity and
endurance, he would scarcely equal Morton or Ai-thur.
Max, too, was vigorous and active, and, when stimulated
by danger or emulation, wns capable of powerful effort.
Arthur, though of slight and delicate frame, was compai^t
and well knit, and his coolness, judgment, and resolution,

enabled him to dispose of his strength to the best advan-
tage. All were animated by that high and generous spirit
wliich is of greater value in an emergency than any amount
of mere physical strength ; a spirit which often stimulates
the feeble to efforts as surprising to him who puts them
forth, as to those who witness them.

Bi'owne had the bow-oar, and putting his whole force
into every stroke, was pulling like a giant. Morton, wlio
was on the same side, liandled lus oar with less excitemci-t
and effort, but with greater precision and equal efficiency.
It was plain that these two were pulling Max and Arthur
round, and turning the boat from her course ; and as I had
not yet succeeded in shipping the rudder, which was ren-
dered difficult by the rising and falling of the boat, and

THE ALARM AND THE CONFLICT. 23

the sudden impulse she received from every stroke, I
requested BrowDB and Morton to pull more gently. Just
.13 I had succeeded in getting the rudder hung, the crew
of the long-boat seemed to have first observed us. They
had cleared the point to the southward, and vra were,
perhaps, a hundred yards nearer the long point, beyond
which we could see the masts of the ship, and on doublinr
which, we should be almost within hail of her. The latter
point was probably a little more than half a mile distant
from us, and towards the head of it, both boats were steer-
ing. The long-boat was pulling eight oars, and Luerson,
the man who had had the difficulty with the first officer
at the Kingsmill Islands, was at the helm. As soon as he
observed us, he appeared to speak to the crew of his boat,
and they commenced pulling with greater vigour than be-
fore. He then hailed us. —

" Holloa, lads t where's Frazer ? Are you going to leave
him on the island V

We pulled on in silence.

" He is looking for you now, somewhere along shore ;
ho left us, just below the point, to find you ; you bad bet-
ter pull back and bring him oif."

" All a trick," said Morton j " don't waste any breath
witb them ;" and we bent to the oars with new energy.

" The young scamps mean to give the alarm," I couid
liear Luerson mutter with an oath, as he surveyed, for a
moment, the interval between the two boats, and then the
distance to the point.

"Tliere's no use of mincing matters, my lads," he cried,
standing up in the stem; "we have knocked the first
officer on the head, and served some of those who didn't
approve of the proceeding in tbe same way ; and now we
are going to take the ship,"

24 The alarm anJ) the conflict.

" We know it, aud intend to prevent you," cried Mor-
toB, panting witlitho violence of his exertions,

" Unship your oars till we pass you, and you shall nc\
be hurt," piirsued Luerson in the same breath; '* puIJ
another stroke at them, and I will serve you like your
friend, Frazer, and he lies at the spring with his throat

5lit i "

The ruffian's design, in this savage threat, was doubt-
ess to terrify us into submission ; or, at least, so to appal
and agitate us, as to make our exertions more confused
aud feeble. In this last calculation he may have been
partially cor-rect, for the threat was fearful, aud the dan-
ger imminent ; the harsh, deep tones of his voice, with the
ferocious determination of his manner, sent a thrill of
horror to every heart. More than this, he could not
effect ; there was not a craven spirit among our number.

"Steadily!" said Ai'thur, in a low, collected tone;
*' less than five minutes will bring us within hail of the

ship."

But the minutes seemed hours, amid such tremendous
exertions, and such intense anxiety. The sweat streamed
from the faces of the rowers ; they gasped aud panted for
breath ; the swollen veins stood out on their foreheads.

"Perhaps," cried Luerson, after a pause, "perhaps there
is some one in that boat who desires to sav j nis life ; who-
ever drops his oar shall not be harmed ; the rest die."

A scornful laugh from Morton was the only answer to
this tempting offer.

Luerson now stooped for a moment, and seemed to be
groping for something in the bottom of the boat. When
he rose, it was with a musket or fowlingpiece in his hands,
"which he cocked, and, coming forward to the bow, levelled
towards us.

THE ALARM AND THE CONFLICT. 25

"Ouco more," he cried, "and once for all, drop yoiir
oars, or I fire among you."

"I don't believe it ia loaded," said Arthur, "or hii
would have used it sooner."

" I think it is Frazer's gun," said Morton, " and he fired
both barrels before they murdered him j there has been
no time to reload it."

The event showed the truth of these suspicions; for,
upon seeing that his threat produced no effect, Luersou

resumed his seat in the bows, tlie lielm having been given
to one of the men not at the oars.

We were now close upon the point, and, as I glanced
from our pursuers to the ship, J began to breathe more
freely. They had gained iipon us ; but it was inch by
inch, and the goal was now at hand. The long-boat,
though pulling eight oars, and those of greater length
than ours, was a clumsier boat than the yawl, and at pre-
sent heavily loaded ; we had almost held our own with
them thus far.

But now Luerson sprang up once more in the bow of
the long-boat, and presented towards us the weapon with
which he had a moment before threatened ua ; and this
time it was no idle menace. A puff of smoke rose from
the muzale of the piece, and, just as the sharp report
reached our ears, Browne uttered a quick exclamation of
pain, and let fall his oar.

For a moment all was confusion and alarm ; but Browne.
who had seized his oar again almost instantly, declared
that he was not hurt ; that the ball had merely grazed
tlie skin of his arm ; and he attempted to re-comraenco
rowing; before, however, he had pulled half-a-dozen
strokes, his right hand was covered with the blood which
streamed down his arm.

26 THE ALARM ANT) THE CONFLICT.

1 HOW insisted on taking liia oar, and he took my place
at the helm.

While this change was being effected, our pursuers
gained upon U3 perceptibly. Every moment was precious.
Luerson urged hia men to greater efforts; the turning
point of the struggle was now at hand, -and the excitement
became terrible.

" Steer close in ; it will save something in distance,"
gasped Morton^ almost choking for breath.

" Not too close," panted Arthur ; " don't get us aground."

"There is no danger of that," answered Morton, "it is
deep, off the point."

Almost as he spoke, a sharp, grating sound wai* heard,
beneath the bottom of the boat, and our progress was
arrested with a suddenness that threw Max and myself
from our seats. ^Ye were upon a ledge of coral, which at
a time of less excitement we could scarcely have failed to
have observed and avoided, from the manner in which the
sea broke upon it.

A shout of mingled exultation and derision, as they
witnessed this disaster, greeted us from the long-boat,
which was ploughing through the water, but a little way
behind us, and some twenty yards further out from the
shore.

" It is all up," said Morton, bitterly, dropping his oar.

" Back water t Her stern still swings i'ree," cried Ar-
thur, " the next swell \n\\ lift her clear."

"We got as far aft as possible, xo lighten the bows; a
liuge wave broke upon the ledge, and drenched us with
spray, but the yawl still grated upon the coral.

Luerson probably deemed himself secure of a more
convenient opportimity, at no distant period, to wreak his
vemce.'iuce upon us: at an}^ rate there was no time for it

THE ALARM AND THE CONFLtCT. 27

now; lie merely menaced us with his clenched fist, as they
swept by. Almost at the same moment a great sea came
rolling smoothly in. and, as our oars dipped to back water,
we jfloated free; then a few vigoroxts strokes carried us to
a safe distance from the treacherous shoal.

"One effort more I" cried Arthur, as the mutineei's dis-
appeared behind the point; "we are not yet too late to
give them a warning, though it will be but a short one."

Again we bent to the oars, and in a moment we too
had doubled the point, and were in the wake of the long-
boat. The ship lay directly before us, and within long

hailing distance,

"Now, comrades, let us shout together, and try to make
them understand their danger," said BroAvne, standing up
in the stern.

" A dozen strokes more," said Arthur, " and we can do
it with more certain success."

Luerson merely glanced back at us, as he once more
heard the dash of our oars ; but he took no farther notice
of ns: the crisis was too close at hand.

On board the ship all seemed quiet. Some of the men

were gathered together on the starboard bow, apparently
engaged in fishing; they did not seem to notice the ap-
proach of the boats.

"Now, then!" cried Arthur, at length, unshipping his
oar, and springing to liis feet, " one united effort to attract
their attention — all together — now, tlien!" and we sent
up a cry that echoed wildly across the water, and startled
the idlers congregated at the bows, who came running to
the side of the vessel nearest us.

" We have got their attention ; now hail them," said Ar-
thur, turning to Browne, who had a deep powerful voice j
"tell them not to let the loner-boat board them."

28 THK ALARM AND THE C6nFLTCT.

Browne put his hands to his mouth, and iu tones that
could have been distinctly heard twice the distance,
sliouted —

** Look out for the long-boat — don't let them board you
- the men have killed the first officer, and want to take
i.l'.e ship!" From the stir and confusion that foUowedj it
was clear that the warning was understood.

But the niutineers were now scarcely twenty yards from
the vessel, towards which they were jjloughing their way
with unabated speed. The next moment they wera under
her bows ; just as their oars flew into the air, we could
hear a deep voice from the deck, sternly ordering them to
" keep off," and I thought that I cotild distinguish Captain
Erskine standing near the bowsprit.

The mutineers gave no heed to the order; several of
tliem sprang into the chains, and Luerson among the rest.
A fierce, though unequal struggle, at once commenced.
The captain, armed with a weapon which he wielded with
both hands, and which I took to be a capstan-bar, struck
right and left among the boarders, ms they attempted to
gain i,he deck, and one, at least, of them, fell back with a
heavy plunge into the water. But tlie captain seemed to
be almost unsupported ; and the mutineers had nearly all

reached the deck, and were pressing upon him.

" Oh, but this is a cruel sigh* ! " said Browne, turning
away with a shudder. " Comrades, can v^^q do nothing
morel"

Morton, who had been groping beneath the sail in the
bottom of the boat, now dragged forth the cutlasses which
Spot had insisted on placing there when we went ashore.

" Here are arms ! " he exclaimed, " we are not such boys,
but that we can take a part in what is going on— let ua
pull to the ship!"

THE ALARM AND THE CONPLICTT. 29

**What say yon?" cried Arthiir, glancing inquiringly,
from one to anotlier ; " we can*tj perhaps, do mnch, l>'j t
sliall we sit here and see Mr. Erskine murdered, without
ti'}}ing to help him]"

"Friends, let us to the shipl" cried Browne, with dcej)
emotion, *'I am ready."

"And 11" gasped Max, pale with excitement, " we cau
hut be killed."

Can we hope to turn the scale of this unequal strife ]
shall we do more than arrive at the scene of conflict in
time to experience the vengeance of the victorious muti-
neers ? — such were the thoughts that flew hurriedly through
my mind. I was entirely unaccustomed to scenes of vio-
lence and bloodshed, and my head swam, and my heart
sickened, as I j];azed at the confused conflict raginsr on the
vessel's deck, and heard the shouts and cries of the com-
batants. Yet I felt an inward recoil against the baseness
of sitting an idle spectator of such a struggle. A glance at
the lion-hearted Erskine still maintaining the unequal
fight, was an appeal to every noble and generous feeling:
it nerved me for the attempt, and though I trembled as I
grasped an oar, it wa3 with excitement and eagerness, not
with fear.

The yawl had hardly received the first impulse in the
direction of the ship, when the I'eport of fireai'nis was heard.

** Merciful heavens I " cried Morton, " the captain is down \
that fiend Luerson has shot him ! "

The figure which I had taken for that of Mr. Ei'skine,
was no longer to lie distinguished among the combatants ,
Bome person was now dragged to the side of the ship to *
wartis us, and thrown overboard ; he sunk after a feeble
strun;gle ; a triumphant shout followed, and then two meu
were seen running up the rigging.

30 THE ALARM AND THE CONFLICT.

"There goes poor Spot up to the foretop," said Max.
pointing to one of the figures in the rigging ; " he can only
gain time at the best, but it can't be that they'll kill bim
in cold blood."

"Luerson is just the man to do it," answered Morton ;
" the faithful fellow has stood by the captain, and that will
seal his fate — look ! it is as I said," and I could see some
one 2)ointing, what was doubtless Mr, Frazer's fowling-
piece, at the figure in the foretop. A j^arley seemed to
follow; as the result of which, the fugitive came down and
suri*endered himself. The struggle now appeared to bo
over, and quiet was once more restored.

So rapidly had these events passed, and so stunning waa
their eflect,that it was some moments before we could col-
lect our thoughts, or fully realize our situation ; and we
sat, silent and bewildered, gazing toward the ship.

Max was the first to break silence ; " And now, what's
to be done ] " he said, *' as to going aboard, that is of course
out of 'the question; the ship is no longer our home."

*'I don't know what we can do," said Morton, except to
pull ashore, and stand the chance of being taken off by
some vessel, before we starve."

" Here is something better," cried Max eagerly, i:»ointing
out to sea ; and, looking in the direction indicated, we saw
a large ship, with all her sails set, steering directly for us,
or so nearly so, as to make it apparent that if she held on
her present course, she must pass very near to us. Had
we not been entirely engrossed by what was taking place
immediately around us, we could not have failed to have
Been her sooner, as she must have been in sight a consi-
derable time.

"They have ab'eady seen her on board," said Morton,
" and that accounts for their great hurry in getting up

THE ALARM AND THE CONrLICT. 31

r

anchor ; they don't feel like being neighbourly just now,

with strange s^esaels."

In fact, there -was every indication on board of our own
ship, of haste, and eagerness to be gone. While some of
the men were at the capstan, getting up tlie anchor, others
were busy in the rigging, and sail after sail was rapidly
spread to the breeze, so that by the time tlie anchor was
at the bows, the ship began to move slowly through the
water.

" They don't seem to consider us of much account any-
way," said Max, "tlicy are going without so much aa
saying — good-bye."

" They may know more of the stranger than we do,"
said Arthur, " they have glasses on board ; if she should
be an Aaierican man-of-war, their hurry is easily ex-
plained."

'* I can't help believing that they see or suspect more, in
regard to her, than appears to us," said Morton, "or they
would not fail to make an attempt to recover the yawl."

" It is rapidly getting dai'k," said Arthur, " and I think

we had better put up the sail, and steer for the stranger."
" Eight," sa,id Morton, " for she may possibly tack before
she sees us."

Morton and myself proceeded to step the mast, and rig
the sail ; meantime, Arthur got Browne's coat off, and ei-
amined and bandaged the wound on his arm, which had
been bleeding all the while profusely ; he pronounced it to

be but a trifling hurt. A breeze from the south-east had
sprung up at sunset, and we now had a free wind to fill our
aaiJ, as we steered directly out to sea to meet the stranger,
wliich was still at too great a distance to make it probable
tliat we had been seen by her people.

It was with a feeJin<i of anxiety aud uneasiness, that I

32 THE ALARM AND THE CONFLIOT,

saw the faiut twiliglit fading away, with the suddenness
usual in those latitudes, and the darkness gathering rapidly
round us. Already the east was wrapped in gloom, and only
a faint streak of light along the western horizon marked
the spot wli^re the sun had so recently disappeared,

" How suddenly the night has come upon us," said Arthur,
who had been peering through the dusk toward the ap-
proaching vessel, in anxious silence ; " 0, for twenty
minutes more of daylight ! I fear that she is about

tacking.'*
This announcementfilled us all with dismay,and every eyo

was strained towards her with intense and painful interest.

Meantime, the breeze had freshened somewhat, and we
now had rather more of it than we desired, as our little
boat was but poorly fitted to navigate the open ocean in
rough weatlier. Johnny began to manifest some alarm, as
we were tossed like a chip from wave to wave, and occasion-
ally deluged with spray, by a sea bursting with a rude
shock over our bow. I had not, even in the violent storm
of the preceding week, experienced such a sense of inse-
curity, such a feeling of helplessness, as now, when the
actual danger was comparatively slight. The waves seemed
tenfold larger and more threatening than when viewed
from the deck of a large vessel. As we sunk into the
trough of the sea, our horizon was contracted to the breadth
of half-a-dozen yards, and we entirely lost sight of the
land, and of both ships.

But it was evident that we were moving through the
water with considerable velocity, and there was encourage-
ment in that, for we felt confident that if the stranger
should hold on her present course but a little longer, we
should be on board of her before our safety would bo
seriously endangered by the increasing breeze.

If, however, she were really tacking, our situation would
Indeed be critical. A very few moments put a period to
our suspense by confirming Arthur's opinion, and ouf
worst fears ; the stranger had altered her course, hei
yards were braced round, and she was standing further
Tdt to sea. Still, however, there would have been a pos-
fiibility of reaching her, but for the failure of light, for she
had Dot so far changed her course, but that she would
have to pass a point, which we could probably gain before
her. liut now, it was with difficulty, and only by meana
of the cloud of canvass she carried, that we could distinguish
her through the momently deepening gloom ; and with
sinking hearts we relinquished the last hopes connected
with her. Soon she entirely vanished from our sight, and
when we gazed anxiously around the nariow horizon that

BOW bouuded our vision, sky and water alone mut out
vie"''.

34 AT BEA.

CHAPTER IV.

AT SEA

A NIQIIT OF GLOOM — MOUTON's NARRATIVE — VlSIO:iAr.r TEUROUft

AN ALARMING DISCOVERY.

" O'er the deep! o'er the deep I
Where the wliale, and the shark, and the sword-fish sleep."

E\ EN in open day^ the distance of a few miles would be
sufficient to sink the low shores of the island ; and now
that night had so suddenly overtaken us^ it might be quite
near, without our being able to distinguish it.

We were even uncertain, and divided in opiniou, as to
the direction in which it lay — so completely were we be-
wildered. The night was one of deep and utter gloom.
There was no moon; and not a single star shed its feeble
light over the wilderness of agitated waters, upon which
our little boat was tossing. Heavy, low-hanging clouds,
covered ths sky ; but soon, even these could no longer be
distinguished ; a cold, damp mist, dense, and almost p:il-
pable to the touch, crept over the ocean, and enveloped us
BO closely, that it was impossible to see clearly from one
end of the yawl to the othex*.

The wind, however, instead of freshening, as we had
feared, died gradually away. For this, we had reason to
be thankful; for though our situation that night seemed

AT SEA. 35

dismal enough, yet liow much more fearful would it have
been, if the rage of the elements, and danger of immediate
destruotion, had been added to the other circumstances of
terror by which we were surrounded ?

As it was, however, the sea having gone down, we sup-
posed ourselves to be in no great or pressing peril. Though
miserably im comfortable, and somewhat agitated and
anxious, we yet confidently expected that the light of morn-
ing would show ua the land again.

The terrible and excitmg scenes through which we had so
recently passed, had completely exhausted us, and wo were
too much overwhelmed by the suddenness of onr calamity,
and the novel situation in which we noAV found ourselves,
to be greatly disposed to talk. Johnny sobbed himself
asleep in Arthur's arms; and even Max's usual spirit?
seemed now to have quite forsaken him. After the mast
had been unstepped, and such preparations as our circum-
stances permitted were made, for passing the night com-
fortably, Morton related all that he knew of what had taken
place on shore, previous to the alarm which he had given.

I repeat the narrative as nearly as possible in his own
words, not perhaps altogether as he related it on that night,
for the circumstances were not then favorable to a full and
orderly account, but partly as I afterwards, in various con-
vei'sations, gathered the particulars from him.

" You recollect," said he, "that we separated st the
boats ; Mr. Frazer and the rest of you, going along the
shore towards the point, leaving Browne declaiming By-
ron's Address to the Ocean, from the top of a coral block,
with myself and the breakers for an audience. Shortly
afterwards, I Hti oiled off towards the interior, and left
Browne lying on the sand, with his pocket Shakspeare.
where we found him, when we reached the boats. I kept

36 At sf:A.

on inland, until the forest became so dense, and was so
overgrown "with tangled vines and creeping plants, that I
could penetrate no farther in that direction. In endea-
vouring to return, I got bewildered, and at length fairly lost,
having no clear notion as to the direction of the beach.
The groves were so thick and dark as to shut out the light
almost entirely ; and I could not get a glimpse of the sun
so as to fix the points of the compast*. At last I came to
an opening, large enough to let in the light, and show
which way tlie shadows fell. Knowing that we had landed
on the west side of the island, I could now select my
course without hesitation. It was getting late in the af-
ternoon, and I walked as fast as the nature of the ground

p

%\'0uld allow, until I unexpectedly found myself at the
edge of the grove, east of the spring where the men were
at work filling the breakers. The moment I came in sight
of them, I perceived that something unusual was taking
]jlace. The first officer and Luerson were standing oppo-
site each othei", and the men, pausing from their work,
were looking on. As I inferred, Mr. Nichol had given
some order, which Luerson had refused to obey. Both
looked excited, Vnit no words passed between them after I
reached the place. There was a pause of nearlya minute,
when Mr. Nichol advanced as if to lay hands on Luerson,
and the latter struck him a blow with his cooper's mallet,
wliich he held in his hand, and knocked him down. Be-
fore he had time to rise, Atoa, the Sandwich Islander,
sprang upon him, and stabbed him Uvico with Lis belt-
knife. All this passed so rapidly, that no one had a
chance to interfere — "

" Hark !" said Browne, interrupting the narration,
" what noise is that 1 It sounds like the breaking of tha

B;irf upon the shore."

AT SEA. 37

But the rest of us could distinguish no sound except
the "washing of the waves against the boat. The eye
was of no assistance in deciding whether we were near
the shore or not, as it was impossible to penetrate the
murky darkness, a yard in any direction.

"We must be vigilant," said Arthur, " the land cannot
be far off, and we may be drifted upon it before morn-

ing."

After listening for some moments in anxious silence,
we became satisfied that Browne had been mistaken, and
Morton proceeded.

"Just as Atoa sprang uj^on Mr. Nichol and stabbed
him, Mr. Knight, who was the first to recover his presence
of mind, seized the murderer, and wrenched the knife from
his hand, at the same time calling on the men to secure
Luerson ; but no one stirred to do so, A part seemed con-
fused and undecided ; while others appeared to me to have
been fully prepared for what had taken place. One man
stepped forward near Luerson, and declared in a brutal
and excited manner, that ' Nichol was a bloody tyi'ant, and
had got what he deserved, and that no man could blam e
Luerson for taking his revenge, after being treated as he
had been.' For a moment all was clamour and confusion ;
then Luerson approached Mr. Knight in a threatening
manner, and bade him loose Atoa, instead of which, he
held his prisoner firmly with one hand, and warning Luer-
son oflF with the other, called on the men to stand by their
officers. Just at this moment, Mr. Frazer, with his gun
on his shoulder, came out of the grove from the side tO'
ward the shore, and to him Mr. Knight eagerly appealed
for assistance in securing the murderers of Mr. Nichol.
Pointing from the bleeding corpse at his feet, to Luerson,

he said. — 'There is the ringleailer— shoot him through tlio

JS AT SEA.

head at once, aud that will finish the matter — otherwise
we shall all be murdered — fire, I will answer for the
act ! '

"Frazer seemed to comprehend the situation of things
at a glance. With great presence of mindj he stei)}>ed
Lack a pace, and bi-inging his gun to his shoulder, called on
Luerson to throw down his weapon, and sorrender him-
sclfj declaring that he would shoot the first man who lifted
a liand to assist him. His manner was such as to leave
no doubt of his sincerity, or liis resolution. The men had
no fire-arms, and were staggered by the suddenness of the
thing; they stood hesitating and undecided. Mr. Knight
seized this as a favourable moment, and advanced upon Luei--
son, with the intention of securmg him, and the islander
was thus left fi'ee. At this moment I observed the man
who had denounced Mr. Nichol, and justified Luoi-son,
stealing round behind Frazer. I called out to him at the
top of my voice to warn him ; but he did not seem to hear.
I looked for something which might serve me for a wea-
pon; but there was nothing, not so much as a broken
bough within reach, and in another instant, the whole
thing was over. As Knight grappled will) liUerson, he
dropped the knife which he had wrested from Atoa, his
intention evidently being to secure, and not to kill him.

" Atod immedialely leaped forward and seized the knife,
and had his arm already raised to stab Mr. Knight in
the back, when Frazer shot him dead. At almost the
same instant, Luerson struck Mr. Knight a tremendous
blow on the head with his mallet, which felled him to
the earth, stimned and lifeless. He next rushed upon
Frazer, who had fairly covered him with the muzzle of
his piece, and would inevitably have shot him, but just
as he pulled the trigger, the man whom I had seea

AT SEA. 39

creeping round behind him, sprang upon liim, and de-
ranged his aim; two or three of the others, who had
stood looking on, taking no part in the affair, now inter-
posed, and by their assistance Frazer was overpowered
and secured. "Whether they murdered him or not, aa
Luerson afterwards declared, I do not know. As soon as
the struggle was over, the man who had seconded Luer-
eon so actively throughout (the tall dark man who goes
by the name of ' the Boatswain,') shouted out, ' Now, then,
for the ship!'

*' ' Yes, for the ship ! ' cried Luerson, ' though this has
not come about just as was arranged, and has been hurried
on sooner than we expected ; it is as well so as any way, and
must be followed up. There*s no one aboard biit the cap-
tain, and four or five men and boys, all told : the landsmen
are all ashore, scattered over the island. "We can take her
without risk — and then for a merry life at the islands !'

" This revealed the designs of the mutineers, and I de-
termined to anticipate them if possible. As I started for
the beacli I was observed, and they hailed me ; but with-
out paying any attention to their shouts, I ran as fast, at
least, as I ever ran before, iintil I came out of the forest,
near w here you were standing."

From the words of Luerson which Morton had heard, it
was clear that the mutiny had not been a sudden and un-
premeditated act ; and we had no doubt that it had grown
out of the difficulties at the Kingsmills, between him and
the unfortunate Mr. Nichol.

It was quite late before we felt any disposition to sleep ;
but notwithstanding the excitement, and the discomforts
of our situatiou, we began at length to experience the
effeots of the fatigue and anxiety which we had undergone,
and bestowing ourselves as conveniently as possible about

iO AT SEA.

the boatj which furnished but slender accomruodatious for
Buch a number, we bade each other the accustomed " good-
night," and one by one dropped asleep.

Knowing that we could not be far from land, and aware
of our liability to be di'ifted ashore during the night, it
had been decided to maintain a watch. Arthur, Morton,
and I had agreed to divide the time between ua as accu-
rately as possible, and to relieve one another in turn. The
first watch fell to Arthur, the last to me, and, after exact-
ing a promise from Morton, that he would not fail to
awaken me when it was faii-ly my turn, I laid down upon
the ceiling planks, close against the side of the boat, be-
tween which, and Browne, who was next me, there was
barely room to squeeze myself.

It was a dreary night. The air was damp, and even
chilly. The weltering of the waves upon the outside of
the thin plank against which my head was pressed, made

a dismal kind of music, and suggested vividly how frail
was the only barrier that separated us from the wide, dark
waste of waters, below and around.

The heavy, dirge-like swell of the ocean, though sooth-
ing, in the regularity and monotony of its sluggish motion,
sounded inexpressibly mournful.

The gloom of the night, and the tragic scenes of the day,
seemed to give character to my dreams, for they were dark
and hideous, and so teri-ibly vivid, that I seveiii,! times
awoke strangely agitated.

At one time I saw Luerson, with a countenance of super-
natural malignity, and the expression of a fiend, murdering
poor Frazer. At another, our boat seemed drawn by some
irresistible, but unseen power, to the verge of a yawning
abyss, and began to descend between green-glancing walla
of water, to vast depths, w^here uudescribed sea-monater%

AT SEA. 41

never seen upon tlie surface, glided about in an obscurity
that increased their hideousness. Suddenly the feeble
light that streamed down into the gidf, through the green
translucent sea, seemed to be cut off; the liquid walls
closed above our heads ; and we were whirled away, with
the sound of rushing waters, and in utter darkness.

All tliis was vague and confused, and consisted of the
usual " stuff tbat dreams are made of." Wliat followed,
was wonderfully vivid and real : every thing was as dis-
tinct as a picture, and it has left an indelible improt^sioa
upon my mind ; there was something about it far more
awful than all the half-defined shapes and images of terror
that preceded it.

I seemed to be all alone, in our litUe boat, in the midst
of the sea. It was night — and what a night ! not a breath
of wind rippled the glassy waters. There was no moon,
but the sky was cloudless, and the stai's were out, in solemn
and mysterious beauty. Every thing seemed preterna-
turally still, and I felt oppressed by a strange sense of lone-
liness ; I looked round in vain for some familiar object, the

sight of "which might afford me relief. But far, far as the
eye could reach, to the last verge of the horizon, where the
gleaming sapphire vault closed down upon the sea, stretched
one wide, desolate, unbroken expanse. I seemed to be
isolated and cut off from all living things ;

" Alone — alone, all, all alone!
Alone on the wide, wide sea;
So lonely 'twas, that God himseli
Scarce seemed there to be;"

and there was something in tbis feeling, and in tho univer-
sal, death-like silence, that was unutterably awful. I tried
to pray — to think of God as present even there — to think
of H"im as " Our Father" — as caring for. and loving hh

42 AT SEA.

creatures — and thus to escape the desolating sense of lone-
I'uiess tiiat oi^pressed me. But it "was iu v.iin ; T coultl not
]iray: there was somethuag in the scene that mocked at
faitli, and seemed in harmony with the dieary creed of tlie
atheist. The horrible idea of a godless universe cjinie upon
me, bidding me reliiKpiisIi, as a fond iUusion, the belief in
a Heavenlv Father, —

" Wiio sees with equal eye, as Lord of all,
A Iiero perisli, or a sparrow fall."

Language cannot express the desolation of tliat tlioii:;ht.

Then the scene clianged once more. W^ wore again on
board the ship, and iu ihe power of tlie enraged mutineei-s,
about to suffer whatever their vengeance miglit impel them
to inflict. Poor Spot was swinghig, a livid corpse, at
one of the yard-arms. Bro^^le was bound to the main-
mast, while Luerson and liis fiendish crew were exhausthig

their ingenuity in torturing him. The peculiar expression
of his mild, open countenance, distorted by jjain, went to
my heart, and the somid of that familial- and friendly voice,

now hoarse and broken, and quivering with agony, thrilled
me with horror. As he besought his tormentors to kill
liim at once, I thought that 1 kneeled to Luerson, and se-
conded the entreaty — the greatest favour that could be
hoped from him. The rest of us were doomed to walk tlie
plank. Morton was stern and silent ; Max pale and sor-
rowful ; his arm was round my neck, and he murmured
that life was sweet, and that it was a Lard and terrible
thing to die — to die sot Artliur, calm and collected,
cheered and encouraged us; and his face seemed like the

"i

face of an angel, as he spoke sweetly and solemnly, of th:
goodness and the love of God, and bade us put our whole

trust and hope in Christ our Saviour. His earnest words

AT SEA. 43

au^l serene look, sootlaed and strengthened us ; W'3 also be-
came calm and almost resigned. There was txo aljectfear,
no useless cries, or supplications to our foes for mercy; but
Ih^ solemn sense of the awfulness of death,, wa^ mingled
with a sweet and sustaining faith in God, and Christ, and
Immortality. Hand in hand, like brothers, we were pre-
paring to take the fearful plunge — when 1 started and

awoke.

Even the recollection of our real situation was insufficient
to impair the deep sense of relief wliich I experienced.
My first impulse was to thank God that these were but
dreams; and if I had obeyed the next, I should have em-
braced heartily each of my slumbering companions ; for in
the first confusion of thought and feeling, my emotions were
very much what they would naturally have been, had the
scenes of visionary terror, in which we seemed to have just
participated together, been real.

Morton was at his post, and I spoke to him, scarcely
knowing or caring what I said. All I wanted, was to hear
his voice, to revive the sense of companionship, and so
escape the painful impressions which even yet clung to me.

He said that he had just commenced his vratch, Arthur
having called bim but a few moments before. The night
was still lowering and overcast, but there was less wind
and sea than when I first laid down. T proposed to relieve
him at once, but he felt no greater inclinaLion to sleep than
myself, and we watched together imtil moriAnr. The two
or three hours immediately before dawn seemed terribly
long. Just as the first gray light appeared in the east,
Arthur joined us. A dense volume of vapour which rested
upon the water, and contributed to the obscurity in which
ft^e were enveloped, now gathered slowly into masses, and
doated \ipwai*d as the day advanced, gradually clearii-gihe

44 AT SCA.

prospect ; and we kept lookiBg out for the island, in the
momentary expectation of seeing it loom up before U3
through the mist. But when, aa the light increftsed, and
the fog rolled away, the boundaries of our vision rapidly
enlarged, and still no land could be seen, we began to feel
seriously alarmed- A short period of intense and painful
anxiety followed, during which we continued alternately
gazing, and waiting for more light, and again straining our
aching eyes in every direction, and still in vain.

At last it became evident that we had ia some manner
drifted completely away from the island. The appalling
conviction could no longer be resisted. There we were,
lost and helpless, on the open ocean, in our chip of a boat,
withoiit provisions for a single day, or, to speak more dofi-
niU?ly, without a morsel of bj'ead or a drop of water.

tn£ COVSULTAtlOJf 4i5

CHAPTEE V,

THE CONSULTATION.

OUT or siom of land— si-ender resources— whats to be donl?

" How rapidly, how rapidly, we ride along the seal
The morniiif^ is all sunshine, the wind is blowing free;
The billows are all sparkling, and bounding in the light,
Like creatures in whose sunny veins, the blood is running brigr.t.'

MoRTOK alone still refiLsed to relinquish the hope, that
hy broad day-light, we should yet be able to make out the
island. He persisted in pronouncing it wholly incredible
that we had made during the night, a distance suflicient to
sink the land, which was but three or four miles off, at the
utmost, when we Avere overtaken by darkness ; he could
not understand, he said, how such a thing was possible.

Aiahur accounted for it, by supposing that we had got
into the track of one of the ocean currents that exist in
those seas, especially among the islands, many of which mn
at the rate of from two to three miles an hour.

This seemed the more probable, from the fact, that we
were to the west of the island, when we lost sight of it, and
that the great equatorial current, which traverses the Pa-
cific and Tndian oceans, has a prevailing westerly course
though among the more extensive groups and clusters of

46 THE CONSlJLTAtlON.

islands, it ia so often deflected hither and chiiher, by tha
obstacles which it eucoiiuters, or turned upon itself, in
eddies or couuter-curreuts, that no certain calculations cau
be made respecting it. Morton, however, did not consider
this supposition sufficient to explain the difficulty.

" I should judge." said he. ■' that in a clear day, such an
island might be seen filleen or twenty milesj and we cannot
have drifted so great a distance."

" It miglit perhaps be seen," said Arthur, "as far as that,
fi^om the mast-head of a ship, or even from her deck, but
not from a small boat hai-dly raised above the surface of
the water. At our present level, eight or ten miles would
be enough to sink it completely."

At length, when it was broad-day, and from the appear-
ance of the eastern sky, the sun was just about to rise,
Morton stepped the mast and climbed to the top, in tlie
hope that from that additional elevation, slight as it was,
he might catch a glimpse of land. There was by this time
light enough, as he admitted, to see any thing that could
be seen at all, and after making a deliberate survey of our
whole horizon, he was fully convinced that we had drifted
completely away from tlie island. " I give it up," he sait.1,
as he slid down the mast, "we are at sea, beyond iiU
qiiestion."

Presently Max awoke. He cast a quick, surprised look
around, and at fii-st seemed greatly shocked. He speedily
recovered himself, however, and after another, and closer
scrutiny of the horizon, thought that he detected an appcnr-
ance like t)at of land in the south. For a moment th(;re
was again tho flutter of excited hope, as every eye was
turned eagerly in that direction; but it soon subsided. A
brief examination satisfied us all, that what we saw, was
but a lo^v bank of clouds lying against the sky.

THE CONSULTATION. 47

"This really begins to look serious," .said Max; "what
are ve to do ?"

" It strikes me," replied Morton, " that we are pretty
much relieved from the necessity of considering that ques-
tion ; our only part for the present seems to be a passive one."

"T can't fully persuade myself that this i;^ real," said
Max; "it half seems like an ugly dreamj from which we
should awake by-and-by, and draw a long breath at the
relief of finding it no more than a dream."

" We are miserably provisioned for a sea voyage," said
Morton; "but I believe the breaker is half full of water;
without that, we should indeed be badly off."

"There is not a drop in it," said Arthur, shaking his
nea and he lifted the breaker and shook it lightly — it was
quite empty.

He now proceeded to force open the locker, in the hope
of finding there semething that might l)e serviceable to us ;
but its entire contents consisted of a coil of fine rope, some
pieces of rope-yam, an empty quart-bottle, and an old and
battered hatchet head.

Meanwhile, Browne, without a trace of anxiety ui>on his

upturned countenance, and Johnny, who nestled close be-
side him, continued to sleep soundly, in happy unconscious-
ness of our alarming situation.

" Nothing ever interferes with the soundness of BroMTie'a
sleep, or the vigour of his appetite," said Max, cciotein-
plating his placid slumbers with admiration. " I should
be puzzled to decide whether sleeping, eating, or dramatic
recitation, is his forte ; it certainly lies between the three."

"Poor fellow !" said Morton, "from present appearances,
and the state of our supplies, he will have to take it all out
in sleeping, for some time to come, as it is to \)e presumed
he'll hardly feel like spouting "

48 THE CONStLTATlON.

" Oue woiild think that what happened yesterday, and tilo
condition of things as we left them last night, woidd be
enough to disturb one's nerves somewhat ; yet you see how
little it affects him — and I now predict that the first thing
h e will say on opening his eyes, will be about the means of
brealdng his long fast."

" I don't understand how you can go on in that straiJi,
Max," said Arthur, looking iip in a surprised manner, and
shaking his head disapprovingly.

" Why, I was merely endeavouring to do my share to-
wards keeping our spirits up ; but I suppose any spirits
got up' under the present circumstances, must be some-
what forced, and as my motives don't seem to be properly
appreciated, I will renounce the unprofitable attempt."

The sun rose in a clear sky, and gave promise of a hot
day. There was, however, a cool and refreshing breeze,
that scattered the spray from the foaming ridges of the
waves, and occasi(mally sho"v> ered us, not unpleasantly, witli
the fine liquid particles A sea breaking over our bow,
dashed a bucket-full of water into Browne's face, and ab-
ruptly disturbed hLs slumbers.

" Good morning, comrades ! " said he, sitting up, and
looking about him with a perplexed and bewildered air,
*' But how is this 1 Ah ! I recollect it all now. So then,
we are really out of sight of land ?"

''There is no longer any doubt of that," said Arthur,
" and it is now time for us to decide what wo shall do —
our chance of falling in with a ship will be quite as good,
and that of reaching land will of course be much better, if,
instead of drifting like a log upon the water, we put up
our sail, and steer in almost any direction; though I think
there is a choice."

" Of course there is a choicCj" said Morton ; " the island

I-HE CO^SULTATIOy. 49

iizmiot bo at any gi-eat distance ; and tlie probability o*
our being able to fiud it again is so much greater than that
of making any other land, that we ought to steer in thd
direction in "which we have good reason to think it lies —
tliat is, to the east."

"The wind, for the last twelve hours, has been pretty
nearly south," observed Arthur, "and has probably had
fiome effect upon our position; we had better, therefore,
steer a little south of east, which, with this breeze, will bo
easj' sailing.'*

To this all assented, and the sail was hoisted, and the
hoat's head put in the direction agreed upon, each of us,
except Johnny, sailing and steering her in turn. There
was quite as much wind as our little craft could sail with
to advantage, and without danger. As it filled her bit of
canvass, she careered before it, leaping and plunging from

wave to wave, in a manner that sometimes seemed peril-
ous. The bright sky above us, the blue sea gleaming in
the light of morning, over which we sped ; the dry, clear
atmosphere (now that the sim was up, and the mist
dissipated), the fresh breeze, without which we must
have suffered intensely from the heat; together with
our rapid and bounding motion, had an exhilarating
effect, in spite of the gloomy anticii)ations that suggested
themselves.

" After all," said Max, " why need we take such a dis-
mal view of the matter ? We have a fine staimch little
boat, a good breeze, and islands all around us. Besides,
we are in the very track of the b^che de mer, and sandal-
wood traders. It would be strange indeed, if we should
fail to meet some of them fioon. In fact, if it were not
for thinking of poor Fra^^er, and of the horrible events of
yoeterday (which, to be sure. ar« enough to make oup sad},

60 THE CONSTJLTATION.

I should be disposed to look upon the whole affiiii', as a
sort of holiday adventure — something to tell of when we
get home, and to talk over pleasantly together twenty
yeare hence."

" If we had a breaker of water, and a keg of biscuit,"
aaid Morton, "and could then be assured of fair weatlier
for a week, I might be able to take that view of it ; as it
is, I confess, that to me, it has any thing but the aspect of
a holiday adventure,"

When Johnny awoke, Arthur endeavoured to soothe hia
alarm, by explaining to him that we had strong hopes of
being able to reach the island again, and mentioning tlie
various circumstances which rendered such a hope reason-
able. The little fellow, did not, however, seem to be
as much trotibled as might have been expected. He either
re])osed implicit confidence in the resources, or the for-
tunes, of his companions, or else, did not at all realize tlje

perils to which we were exposed. But this could not last
long.

That which I knew Arthur had been painfully anticipat-
ing, came at last. Johnny, who had been asking ISIorton
a multitude of questions as to the events of the previous
day, suddenly said that he was very thirsty, and asked iii
llie most unsuspecting manner for a drink of water. When
he learned that the breaker was empty, and that we had not
so much as a drop of water with us, some notion of our
actual situation seemed to dawn upon him, and he became
all at once, grave and silent.

Hour after hour di-agged slowly on, until the sun was
hi the zenith, with no change for the better in our affairs,
i^ was now cleAr that we must give up the hope of leach-
ing the island which we had left, for it was certain that
we h.'id tsailed farther since morning than the boat could

tHE COKSULTATION. 51

possibly have been drifted during the night, by the wind,
or the current, or both combined. Our calculations at the
outset must therefore have been erroneous, and we had
not been sailing in the right direction. If so, it was too
late to correct the mistake ; we could not regain our start-
ing-point, in order to steer from it another course. We
now held a second consultation.

Although we had but a general notion of our geogrjt-
phical position, we knew that we were in the neighbour*
hood of scattered groups of low coral islands. From tlie
Kingsmills we were to have sailed directly for Canton, and
Max, Morton, and myself, woidd, before now, in all pro-
bability, have commenced our employment in the American
factory there, but for Captain Erskine's sudden resolution
to take the responsibility of returning to the Sanioan
Group, with the double object of rescuing the crew of the
wrecked barque, and completing ];-s carfo, wliicL. accord-
ing to the information received from the master oi the

whaler, there would be no difficulty in doing. From
TJpolu, we had steered a north-westerly course, and it was
on the fourth or fifth day after leaving it, that we had
/ eached the island where the mutiny took place, and which
Mr. Erskine claimed as a discovery of his own. Its latitude
and longitude had of course been calculated, but none
of us learned the i-esult, or at any I'ate remembered
a. We kjiew only, tluit we were at no great distance
from the Kingsmills, and probably to the south-west of
them.

Arthur was confident, from conversations had with Mr.
Frazer, and from the impressions left on his mind by hia
last examination of the charts, that an extensive cluster of
low islands, scattered over several degrees of latitude, lay
iuBt to the south-east of us.

6S TtlE COWSTTLTATIOjr.

It was accordingly determined to continue otur present
course as long as the wind should permit, which there was
7eason to fear might be but a short time, as easterly winds
are the prevailing ones within the tropics, as near the line
aa we supposed ourselvea lo oe.

TH£ CALM. 53

CnAPTKK VL

ny

THE CALM.

Tax RKCONU WATCH — AN EV[r. OMEN — THE WKITE SHARK'

A BREAKFAST LOST.

"AH In a liot and copper sky,
The bloody sun, at noon,
Right lip above the mast did stand,
No bigger than the moon."

During the remainder of tlie clay the wind continued
fair, and we held on our course, steering by the sun, and
keeping a vigilant lookout in every direction. But the
night set in, and we had yet aeen no appearance of land, no
speck in the distance which could be mistaken for a sail,
not even a wandering sea-bird or a school of flying-fish —
nothing to break the dead monotony of the briny waste we

were traversing. As I sat at the helm, taking my turn in
sailiufj the boat, and watched the sun go down, and saw Llie

darkness gathering over the sea, a feeUng nearly akin to
Hespair took possession of me. In vain I strove to take an
encouraging and hopeful view of our circumstances. The
time within "svhioh relief must come, in order to be effectual,
was so short, that I could not help feeling that the proba-
bilities were strongly against us. I could not shut my eyes
to the fact, that dangers, imminent and real, such as we IukI
read and talked of, without ever half realizing, or dreaming

64 THE CALM.

that they *^uld one day fall to our own lot, now pressed
upon us, and threatened us close at hand. I knew that
tlio.se fearful tales of shipwreck and starvation, were only
too true — that men, lost at sea like ourselves, had pined day
after day, without a morsel of food or a drop of water, until
they had escaped, in stupor or delirium, all consciousness of
Buffering, ^nd worse even than this— too horrible to be
thought or spoken of — I knew something of the dreadful
and disgusting expedients to prolong life, which have some-
times been resorted to by famishing wretches. I had read
how the pangs of hunger, and the still fiercer torments of
thirst, had seemed to work a dire cliauge even in kind and
generous natures, making men wolfish, so that they slew
and fed upon each other. Now, all that was most revolting
and inhuman, in what I had beard or read of such things,
rose vividly before me, and I sliuddered at the growing
probability that experiences like these might be reserved for
us. " Why not for us," I thought, " as well as for the many

others, the records of whose terrible fate I have perused
with scarcely more emotion than would be excited by a tale

of imaginary suffering ; and the still greater number whose
story has never been recorded] We have already been
conducted many steps on this feait'ul path, and no laws of
nature will be stayed, no ordinary rules of God's dealiug
violated, on our behalf. No inevitable necessity requires
the complexion of our future, to correspond and harmonize
\v\{]\ that of our past lives. This feeling, which seems to
assure me that such things cannot happen to us, is but one of
the cheats and illusions of a shrinking and self-pitying spirit.
All the memories that cluster about a happy childhood, all
Iho sweet associations of home and kindred, afford no guar-
anty against the new and bitter experiences which seem
about to open ut>oii us."

THE CALM. 55

Snch were the thouglits that began to disquiet my own
mind. As to my companions, Morton seemed less anxioua
and excited than any of the others. During the evening he
speculated in a cool, matter-of-facfc manner, upon our chances
of reaching an island, or meeting a ship, before being re-
duced to the last extremity. He spoke of the number of
t raders that frequent the islands, for tortoise-shell, mother-
of-pearl, sandal-wood, beche de mer, &c. ; the whalers that
come in pursuit of the cachelot, or sperm wliale ; the vessels
that resort there for fruit, or supplies of wood and water ;
the vast number of islands scattered through these seas ;
from all which he finally concluded, that the chances were
largely in our favour. If, howevez^, we should fail of imme-
diate relief in this shape, he thought it probable that we
should have opportunities of catchiug fish, or sea-birds, and
so prolonging life for many days. He talked the whole mat-
ter over in such a calm, sober, unexcited manner, furnish-
iug facts and reasons for every opinion, that I felt some
confidence in his conclusions.

Browne, though quite composed and self-possessed, had,
from the moment when he discovered that we were out of
sight of land, taken the most serious view of our situation.
He seemed to have made up his mind for the worst, and
was abstracted, and indisposed to converse. I knew that
the anxiety which Arthur evinced, was not mainly on his
own account. It did not withdraw his attention from what
was passing, or diminish his interest in it. Par from beiug

gloomy or abstracted, he was active and watchful, and
spoke with heartiness and cheerfulness. His mental dis-
quietude only appeared, in a certain softness and tremor
of his voice, es])eciall7 wlien speaking to Johuuy, who^ as
the night drew on, asked him over and over again, at
short intervals, "Don't 3'ou think, Arthur, that we shall

66 THE CALM.

cerfcainlj fiud land to-morrow I " This was truly dis-
tressing.

As to Max, his feelings rose and fell capriciously, and
without any apparent cause ; he was sanguine or depressed,
not from a consideration of all our circumstances, and a
favourable or unfavourable conclusion drawn therefrom; but
according aa thi's view or that, for the moment, impressed
liis mind. ,He rendered no reasons for his hopes or his fears.
At one moment, you would judge from his manner and con-
versation that we "were indeed out upon some " holyday
excursion," with no serious danger impending over us ; the
next, without any thing to account for the change, he
would appear miserably depressed and wretched.

Soon after sunset the moon rose — pale and dim at first,
but shining out with a clearer and brighter radiance, as the
darkness increased. The wind held steadily from the same

quarter, and it was determined to continue through the
night, the arrangement for taking charge of the sailing of the
boat, in turn. Browne and Max insisted on sharing be-
tween themselves the watch for the entire night, saying,
that they had taken no part in that of the one previous, and
that it would be useless to divide the twelve hours of dark-
ness into more than two watches. This was finally agreea
iipon, the wind being so mo'lei-ate that the same person
could steer the yawl and manage thesail without difficulty.

Before lying down, I requested Max, who took the first
turn, to awake me at the same time with Browne, a part of
whose watch I intended to share. I fell asleep, looking up
at the moon, and the light clouds sailing across the sky,
and listening to the motion of the water beneath the boat.
At first I slumbered lightly, without losing a sort of dreamy
consciousness, so that I heard Max humming over to him-
self fragments of tunes, and odd verses of old songs, and

TfJE CALM. 57

even knew when he shifted his position in the stern, from
one side to the other. At length I must have fallen, into
a deep sleep: I do not know how long it had lasted (it
seemed to me but a short time), when I was aroased by an
exclamation, from Max, as I at first supposed; but on sit-
ting up I saw that Browne was at the helm, while Max was
sleeping at my side. On perceiving that I was awake,
Browne, from whom the exclamation had proceeded,
pointed to something in the water, just astern. Following
the direction of his finger with my eye, I saw, just beneath
the surface, a large ghastly-looking white shark, gliding
stealthily along, and apparently following the boat.
Browne said that he had first noticed it about half an hour
before, smce which time it had steadily followed us, occa-
sionally making a leisurely circuit round the boat, and then
dropping astern again. A moment ago, having fallen into
a doze at the helm, and awaking with a start, he found
liimself leaning over the gunwale, and the shark, just at his
elbow. This had startled him, and caused the sudden
exclamation by which I had been aroused. I shuddered at
his narrow escape, and I acknowledge that the sight of this
hideous and formidable creature, stealing along in our wake,
and manifesting an intention to keep us com pany, caused

me some xmeasy sensations. He swam with his dorsal fin
almost at the surface, and his broad nose scarcely three feet
from the rudder. His colour rendered him distinctly visible.
" What a spectre of a fish it is," said Browne, " with his
pallid, corpse-like skin, and noiseless motion; he has no
resemblance to any of the rest of his kind, that I have ever
seen. You know what the sailors would say, if they should
see him dogging us in this way ; Old Crosstrees, or Spot,
would shake their heads ominously, and set us down as a
do'troed company.'"

53 THE CALM.

** Asule from any such superstitious notions, he is an
uupleasant and dangerous neighbour, and we must be cir-
cumspect wlule he is prowling about."

" It certainly won't do to doze at the helm," resumed
Browne, "I consider that I have just now had a real]y
narrow escape. I was leaning quite over the gunwale ; a
larch of the boat would have thrown me overboai-d, and
then there would have been no chance for me.^'

There would not, in fact, have been the shadow of a

cliance.

" Even as it was " resumed he, " if this hideous-looking

monster had been as active and vigilant as some of his tribe,

it would have fared badly with me. I have heard of their

seizing persons standing on the shore, where the water was

<leep enough to let them swim close in; and Spot tells of

a messmate of his, on one of his voyages in a whaler, who

was carried off, while standing entirely out of water, on

the carcass of a whale, which he was assisting in cutting up,

as it lay alongside the ship. The shark threw himself upon
the carcass, five or six yards from where the man was busy ;

worked himself slowly along tlie slippery surface, until
within reach of his victim ; knocked him off into the watei*,
and then sliding off himself, seized and devoured him."

Picking my way carefully among the sleepers, who
covered the bottom of the yawl, I sat down beside Browne
in the stern, intending to share the remainder of his watch.
It was now long past midnight; fragments of light clouds
were scattered over the sky, frequently obscuring the moon ;
and t]:e few stai's that were visible, twinkled faintly with
a cold and distant light. The Southern Cross, by far the

most brilliant constellation of that hemisphere, was con-
spicuous among the clusters of feebler luminax'ies. Well
!Uis it l)eea called " the glory of the southern skies." Near

THE CALM. 59

tlio zoiiiUi, aiul second only to the Cross ia brilliancy,
;i]»|)ean3d the Northefu Crownj consisting of seven lar^re
Etai'B, so disposed as to form the outline of two thirds of an
oval. Of the familiar constellations of the northern hemi-
s|)liore, scarcely one was visible, except Orion, and tlie
INoiades.

At length the moon descended behind a bank of silvery
chtuds, piled np along the horizon. The partial obscurity
that ensued, only added to the grandeur of the midnight
scene, as we sat gazing silently abroad upon the confused
mass of swelling waters, stretching away into the gloom.
But if the scene was grand, it was also desolate ; we two,
wore perliaps the only human beings, for many hundreds
of miles, who looked forth upon it. Our companions were
wrapped in unconsciousness, and their deep and regular
breathing attested the soundness of their slumbers. As
the light failed more and more, and the shadows deepened,
the sea began to assume a beautiful and striking appearance,
gleaming in places with a bluish lambent light, and exhibit-
ing, where the water was most agitated, large luminous
patches. Thin waves of flame curled over our bow, and

whenever a sea broke upon it, it seemed as though the boat
was plunging through surges of fire, A long brilliant line,

thickly strewn on eachside, with little globules, of the colour

of burning coals, marked our wake.

But the shark, which still followed close behind our keel,

presented by far the most singular and striking spectacle.

Be seemed to be surrounded by a luminous medium ;

and his nose, his dorsal and side fins, and his tail,

each had attached to them slender jets of phosphoric fire.

Towards morning this brilliant appearance began to fade,

aud soon vanished altogether. By this time I found it

ditlfionlt to keep my eyes open longer, and leaving Browne

60 THE CALM.

to iiiiisli his walcli alone, I resumed my place on the ceiling
planks, and in spite of the hardness of my bed, "which caused
every bone in my body to ache, soon slept soundly. When
I again awoke, it was long after sunrise, and we were lying
completely becalmed, A school of large fish were pursuing
their gambols at a short distance, and Browne was rowing
cautiously toward them, while Arthur and Morton stood
prepared to attack them with their cutlasses as soon as we
should get within striking distance. We had got almost
among them, and were just beginning to congratulate our-
selves upon their apparent indifference to our approach,
when they all at once scattered in every direction, with
manifest signs of terror. The cause of this sudden move-
ment was not long concealed ; a brace of sharks rose in
their very midst; one was visible but for a moment, as he
rolled over to seize his prey j the other, less successful iu
securing a victim, shot past us, like an arrow, in pursuit of
a large division of the fugitives. Soon after, both of them

were seen playing around the boat. They belonged to the
species known as the tiger shark, and boro no resemblance

to our ghastly visitor of the preceding evening. By the
consternation which their sudden appearance had produced
among the lesser fishes, they liad in all probability robbed
us of our breakfast. Morton, witli his characteristic enter-
prise, suggested an attack upon one of them by way of
reprisals; but before any measures for that purpose couKl
be takeitJ, they disappeared, leaving us with no otlier
resource than to await our fate with such patience and

resignation as we could command. The wind having
entirely failed, there was nothing that we could do to
change our situation — absolutely nothing. This forced
inaction, with no occupation for mind or body, no object
of effort, contributed t^ enhance whatever was painful in

THE CAtM, Gl

Our conditionj by leaving us to brood over it. The dead
calm which had fallen upon the sea, seemed all that was
necessary to complete our misei'j. "VVe were all stiif and
sore, from the exceedingly uncomfortable sleeping accom-
modations of the last two nights ; "but this was a compara-
tively trifling evil. Johnny had a severe cold, his eyes were
inflamed and bloodshot, and he exhibited also stron2:
symptoms of fever. Nevertheless, silent and uncomplaining,
he came and sat down quietly by the side of Arthur in
the stern.

As the day advanced, the heat became dreadful. AVe
had not suffered much from it the day befoi-e, on account
of the fresh breeze which had prevailed; but now, not a
breath of air was stirring, and the glassy sea reflected
baciv upon us the scorching rays of the sun, with in-
creased intensity. Towards noon, it exceeded any thing I
had ever experienced. The whole arch of the heavens
glowed with a hot and coppery glare. It seemed as
though instead of one sun, there were ten thousand,
covering all the sky, and blending their rays into a broad
canopy of fire. The air was like that of an oven : the
water had no coolness, no refreshing quality ; it was tepid
and stagnant: no living thing was to be seen near the
surface, for life coidd not be sustained there; and the fishes,
great and small, kept themselves in the cooler depths, far
below. Almost stifled by the heat, we began to expeiienee
llie first real and extreme suffering that most of us had ever
lOiowu. At Arthur's suggestion, we disengaged the now
useless sail from the mast, and contrived a kind of awning,
by fastening two of the oars upright in the boat, with tlie
mast extending between them, throwing the sail over the
latter, and securing the ends to the gunwales. This,
although it could not protect us from the sultry and

62 THE CALM.

suffocating air, warded oif the blistering beams of live suii,
and during tlie greater part of the day, welay o^-oiiclied be-
neath itj a miserable company; cue or another of ua
ci*awling out occasionally, to take a survey. Towards the
close of the afternoon, my sufferings from thirst grew ab-
solutely intolerable, and amounted to torment. My blooil
became fevered ; my brain seemed on fire ; my shrank and
shrivelled tongue, "was like a dry stick in my mouth. The
countenances of my companions, their blood-shot eyes, .-ind
cracked and swollen lips, shewed what they were under-
going. Johnny lay in the" bottom of the boat, with his
eyes shut, enduring all, with as much fortitude as the rest
of us, except that now and then a half suppressed moan
escaped him.

It was quite clear that relief, in Older to be oi any
nvailj miLst be Bpeedy.

A CHAKGE. 61

OKA PT KK VII,

A CFTVXor:.

A .'fWIXOMF. I'l^ftir.— THK ALH.VTHOSS AND TEfKlR mST—

A TROIMCAT< THIIXDER-STOH.M.

** Eternal Providence, exceeJinj^ thoiii^litj
AVliere none appears, can nialic itself a way.'

While lying crouclied under the sail, almost gasping
for bi'catli, near the middle, as I suppose, of that terrible
:»rternoon, 1 all at once became sensible of a perceptible
cooling of the atmosphere, and a sudden decrease of light.
Tioolving out to discover the cause of this change, I per-
ot^lved that the sky was overcast, and that a light, unstea'^ly
breeze from the north-west had sprung up. Knowing
that within the tropics, and near the line, winds from that
quarter frequently precede a storm,and that great extremes
of hoftt are often succeeded by violent gales, I observed,
with apprehension, dark masses of clouds gathering in the
north. It would not require a tempest, to insure our de-
struction ; for our little craft could not live a moment,

even in such a gale as would be attended by no danger to
a staunch ship with plenty of sea room.

Tlie tenijierature had fallen many degrees, though the

wind was still moderate and unsteady, ranging from west

64 A CHANGK.

to north-east. The sun was completely obscui'ed, so thl^t
the awning was no longer needed, and we pulled it down,
in order the more fully to enjoy the breeze, and the deli-
cious coolness of the darkened atmosphere, to the grate-
fulness of whichj not even our awakening apprehensions
could render us insensible.

While observing the strange appearauce of the sky, and
the preparations for a stomi which seemed to be going on
in the north and west, Morton espied a troop of Flying-lish
a hundred yards or so to windward. Fluttering feebly a
short distance in the air, they would drop into the sea,
soon emerging, however, for a fresh flight; thur., alter-
nately swimming and flying, they were steadily anproach-

iug ; and from their rapid and confused motions, it was
evident that they were hard pressed by some of the numer-
ous and greedy persecutors of their helpless race ; from
whom they were struggling to escape. Presently, a glit-
tering Albatross shot from the water, close in the tract oi

the fugitives, descending again in the graceful cxirve pecu-
liar to his active and beautiful, but rapacious tribe. An-
other and another followed, their golden scales flashing in
the light, as they leaped clear of the watei', sometimes two -
or three together. AVe hastily made ready to attack both
pui-suers and pursued, the instant they should come within

reach. The course of the chase brought them directly
towards us, luitil the hunted fishes fell in a glittering
shower, so near^ that I feared they might pass under the
boat before rising again; but they came to the surface
close beside us, and as they fluttered into the air, we
knocked down six or seven of them, and caught a number
more, that dropped into the boat, Morton and Max, am-
bitious of larger game, devoted their attention to the Al-
batross, and slashed and thrust furiously, at such as cama

A CHANOK. 6&

Within reach of their cutlasses ; which many of them did.
Some darted under the boat, instead of sheerir.[f round it;
and one enormous fellow, miscalculating iu hLs haste our
draught of water, must have scraped all the fins off his
back against the keel, as he performed this manoeuvre ;
for the shock of the contact, caused the yawl to trembl©
from stem to stei^n. But such was the mai-vellous celerity
of their movements, that though they came within easy
striking distance, all the hostile demonstrations of Maa
and Moi*ton proved futile.

The Flying-fish which had been taken, were divided and
apportioned with scrupulous exactness, and devoured with
very little ceremony. The only dressing or preparation
bestowed upon them, consisted simply in stripping off the
long shining pectoral fins, or wings (they serve as both),
without paying much attention to such trifling matters as
scales, bones, and the lesser fins. Max, indeed, began to
niljble rather fastidiously at first, at this raw food, which
a minute before had been so full of life and activity; but
liis appetite improved as he proceeded, and lie at last so
far got the better of his scruples, as to leave nothing of
his share except the tails, and very little even of those,
jrunger, in fact, made this repast, which would have been
revolting under ordinary circumstances, not only accepta-
Itlo, but positively delicious.

Meantime, the dark mass of clouds in the north had
oxtended itself, and drawn nearer to us. Another tem-
t'cst seemed to be gathering in the west, while in the south,
a violent thunder-storm appeared to be actually raging :
the lightning in that quarter was vivid and almost inces-
sant, but we could hear no thimder, the storm being still
at a considerable distance.

Immediately aroand us ?R was yet comparatively calm,

6(5 A CHANGE.

but the heavy cloudsj gathering on three sides, seemed
gradually converghig towards a common centre ; a short,
abrupt, cross sea, began to form, and the water assumed a
glistening inky hue. There was something peculiar and
sstriking in the appearance of the clouds surrounding us ;
tJiey seemed to rest upon the surface of the ocean, and
lowered upward like a dark wall to the skies. Their upper
extremities were torn and irregular, and long narrow frag-
ments, like giant arms, streamed out from the main body,
and extended over us, as if beckoning each other to a
nearer approach, and threatening to unite their gloomy
array overhead, and shut out the light of day. As they

drew nearer to one another, the lightning began to dart

from cloud to cloud, while the most terrific peals of thuii-

der that I have ever heai-d, rolled and reverberated on

r\ery side. We appeared to be surrounded by storms,

jx>me of which were very near, for the deep crash of the

thunder, followed close upon the vivid lightnings that

flashed in the south and west. Still the narrow space of
sky directly overhead was clear, and the war of elements

which was raging all around did not extend to our immediate
neiglibourhood. Against the dark sides of the cloudy pavi-
lion that encompassed us, the sharp, zigzag lines of light-
ning, as they ran from the sky to the ocean, shone out witli
a blinding glare. A single half-hour had sufficed to changg
every thing about us. The brazen, burning sky, was traua-
fornied into a cold, clear expanse, of a bluish black. The
sea, no longer stagnant and glassy, was fretted by short
i]iky waves, with creamy crests, that gave it altogether a
new aspect. The air was now fresh and cool, and the wind
rising and falling fitfully, at one moment scarcely lifted our
hair or str I'ed our garments, and the next, tore otf the er. •
'iire crests )f waves, and scattered them over us 'u a showe T

A CHANGE, 67

of s]>ray. For uearly an hour we remained apprelieiisive
that the wiud might increase to a gale. At the end of
about that time, it came gradually round to the south-east,
growing steady, but by no means viol^ntj and the storms
moved off in a westerly direction. One heavy cloud, as it
slowly passed over toward that quarter, discharged a
gi\iteful shower of rain. We hastily spread the sail, and
some of our garments, to gather the precious drops. The
shower lasted only a few minutes, but during that time it
rained briskly. I never shall forget my sensations as I
stood with face upturned, while the big drops, more de-
licious than ambrosia, came pelting down. It was far
better and more strengthening than food, or any medicine
or cordial could have been, and seemed to infuse fresh life
into us all. When it was over, we wrung out from the
saturated canvass, an d from our clothing, water enough to
mitigate for the time, though by no means to satisfy, the
raging thirst from which we had suffered so intensely.

Arthur had at fii*s1" taken out of the locker the large
bottle which had been found there, Lu the hope of being
able to hoard up a small supply for the future ; but thero
was not a drop of surplus for such a purpose, and he was
obliged to put it back again empty as before.

^^S XOKFIS^ 0? T«ft.'5Dw

CHAPTER VIJl

TOKENS OF LAND.

rHE CEMTBB OP THE SPHEBE — THE MYSTERIOUS SOUND— TH5

CONFLAGRATION ,

" Thou glorious sea ! before me gleaming,
Oft wilt thou float in sunset pride,
And often shall I hear in dreaming,
Thy resonance at evening tide !"

At sunset, every trace of the storms by which we had
been so recently encompassed had vanished : the sky, ex-
cept along the western horizon, was without a cloud : not
a breath of wind ruffled the sea, and we lay once more
completely becalmed.

This was our third night at sea ; though to me, at least,

it seemed that many days had passed since the mutiny and
the immediately succeeding occurrences. It is a night which
I shall not soon forget ; the impression of its almost un-
earthly beauty is still fresh and vivid, and haunts me like
a vision of fairy-land. At this moment, if I but close my
eyes, the whole scene rises before me with the distinctness
of a picture ; though one would naturally suppose that
persons situated as we then were, could scarcely have been
in a state of mind congenial to the reception of such im-
pressions.

TOKEKS OF LAND. G9

The transition from early twiliglit to the darkness of
night, was beautiful beyond description. The array of
clouds in the west just after simset; their forms, arrange-
ment, and colours ; with the manner in which they blended
and melted into one another, composed a spectacle, of the
magnificence of which, neither language, nor the art of the
painter, can convey any adequate idea. Along the edge of
the horizon stretched a broad tract of the deepest crimson,
reflecting far upon the waters, a light that gave them the
appearance of an ocean of blood. Above this was a baud
of vivid flame colour : then one of a clear translucent green,
perfectly peculiar, unlike that of any leaf or gem, and of
surpassing delicacy and beauty. This gradually melted,
through many fine gradations, into a sea of liquid amber,
BO soft and golden, that the first large stars of evening,
floating in its transparent depths, could scarcely be dis-
tinguished, as they twinkled mildly, amid the flood of
kindred radiance. A narrow streak of pearly blue bounded
this amber sea with its islands of light, and divided it from
the deeper blue of the wide vault above. During the
earlier part of this glorious display, the eastern sky, as if
in rivalry of the splendour of the opposite quarter of the
heavens, wasspanned by two concentric rainbows, describing
complete semicircles, with their bases resting upon the sea.
In the smaller and interior bow, all the colours were beauti-
fully distinct ; in the outer and larger one, they were less
brilliant, and arranged in an order the reverse of that
which is usual, the violet being the lowest, instead of the
red. The rainbows vanished with the sun, and soon after-
wards the fiery glow in the west began to fade. But the
scene only changed its character, without losing any of ita
beauty. So smooth was the sea on that night, that the
whole dome of the sky, with every sailing cloudflake, and

70 TOKENS OF LAND.

every sbir, was perfectly reflected in it. Until the moon
rosCj the line where the sky joined the ocean was indis-
tinctly definedj and the two were so blended together, that
we actually seemed suspended in the centre of a vast
f*phere ; the heavens, instead of termuiating at the horizon,
extended, spangled with stars, on every side — below, as
well as above, and around. The illusion was wonderfully
perfect ; you almost held your breath as you glanced down-
ward, and could hardly refrain from star ting nervously, so
strong and bewildering was the appearance of hanging
poised in empty space.

Johnny, who had been sitting for a long time with his
hands supporting his head, and his elbows resting ujjou
Arthur's knee, gazing out upon the ocean, suddenly looked
up into his face, and said —

" Arthur, I want you to tell me truly — do you still bt>-
lieve that we shall be saved — do you hope so now, as you
did yesterday, or do you think that we must perish V

" Do you suppose that I would ti-y to deceive you,
Johnny," said Arthur, " that you ask me so earnestly to
tell you truly r'

" No, but I feared you would not, perhaps, tell me the
worst, thinking that I could not bear it : and I suspected
to-night, that you spoke more cheerfully than you felt, on
my accoimt. But I am not afraid, dear Arthur, to know

the ti'uth ; and do not hide it from me 1 I will try to bear

patiently, with you, and with the rest, whatever comes
upon us."

" I would not deceive you about such a matter, Johnny.
I should not think it right, though you are so young. But
I can know nothing certainly. We are in the hands of
God. I have told you all the reasons we have to hope ;
we have the same reasons still. Only a few houi's ago,

tolJEils of Land. 71

the sea supplied us with food, and the clouds with drink:
why may we not hope for future supplies according to our
need ? I think we yet have more reason to hope than to
despair."

**Did you ever know, or hear of such a thing," inquired
Johnny, after a pause, " as a company of boys, like us,
starving at sea 1 "

" I do not remember that I have, under circumstances at
all similar to ours," answered Arthur.

" It is too dreadful to believe ! Is not God, our Father
in heaven 1 He will not sui'ely let us perish so misei'a-

bly."

"Yes, Johnny "said Arthur gently, but earnestly, " God
is our heavenly Father; but we must not make our belief
in his love and goodness, a ground of confidence that ani/
suffering, however terrible, shall not befall us. Tlie
young suffer and die, as well as the old ; the good, as well
a3 the bad. Not only the strong martyrs, who triumphed
while they were tortureJ, but feeble old men, and little
children, have been torn in pieces by wild beasts, op hurned

alive, or cast down precipices. And these things, that
seemed so very hard to ua, God has permitted. Yet he
is good, and lovea and cares for us as a father. Tliis we
must believe, and hold fast to, in spite of every thing that
in our ignorance may seem to contradict it. If we feel as
we ought, and as by his grace we may, we shall be able to
trust all to him, with sweet resignation."

" But is it not very hard, dear Arthur, to be left to die
so 1 — and God can save us so easily, if he will."

Arthur was deeply affected : the tears filled his eyes
as he took Johnny upon his knee, and tried to explain to
him how wrong and selfish it would be, to make our beliei
in the goodness of God, depend upon our rescue and

72 TDlCEl^S Dl LANi).

preservation. It was a difficult task, perhaps an untimely
one, as Max hinted. But Johnny gradually sobbed away
his excitement, and became soothed and calm.

" Well," said he, after a while, drawing a long breath,
and wiping away his tears, " I know one thing : whatever
may happen, we will be kind and tnie to one another to
the last, and never think of such inhuman things as I have
read of shipwrecked people doing, when nearly dead with
hunger, though we all starve together.'*

" Come to me, Johnny," cried Browne, with a faltering
voice, " I must kiss you for those words. Yes, we will
perish, if we must, like brothers, not sullenly, as if none
had ever suffered evil before lis. Weak and gentle spirits
have borne without repining, sufferings as great as threaten
ns. Often has my mother told me the story of sweet
Marjory Wilson, drowned in the Solway water, in the
days of Claverhouse, because she met with her friends and
kindred to worship God after their manner — and never
could I listen to it without tears. Ah, what a spirit was
thei*e ! She was but eighteen, and she could have saved
her life by saying a few words. Life was as sweet to her
as it is to us : she too had a home and friends and kindred,
whom it must have been hard for the poor young thing to
leave so suddenly and awfully. And yet she refused to
speak those woi'ds — she chose to die rather. They took
her out upon the sand wliere the tide was rising fast, and
bound her to a stake. Soon the water came up to her
face. She saw it go over the head of a poor old woman,
whom they had tied farther out than herself. She saw
her death struggles j she heard her gasj) for breath, as she
choked and strangled in the yellow waves. Ah ! she must
have had courage from the Lord, or that sight would have
made her young heart fail. Once more, and for the last

♦tokens oJ- Land. 7^

time, the king's officer asked lier to make the promise never
to attend a conventicle again. He urged it, for he pitied
her youth and innocence. Her friends and neighbours
begged her to save her life. O flpeak, dear Marjory I'
they cried, ' and make the promise.; it can't be wrong. Do
it for our sakes, dear Marjory, and they will let you go !'
But she M^ould not save her life by doing what she had
been taught to think was wrong ; and while the swirling
wavc-s of the Solway were rising fast around her, she
prayed to God, and kept singing fragments of psalms, till
the water choked her voice — and so she perished. But,
O friends ! to know that such thuigs have been ; that spirits
gentle and brave as this have lived, makes it easier to
suffer courageously*"

" Horrible !" exclaimed Max, " I seem to see all that you
have so graphically told. But how stei-n and cruel the

teachers who would sacrifice human life rather than abate
their own sullen obstinacy, even in trifles — who could en-
courage this innocent but misguided girl, in her refusal to
save her life by the harmless promise to attend a churcli
instead of a conventicle."

Just as Browne was commencing an eager and indignant
rei)Iy to Max's rash reflections upon tlie strictness of
Covenanting teachings, we were suddenly startled by a
deej) and solemn sound, which seemed to come from a dis-
tance. "While we listened intentl}^, it was several times
repeated at short intervals of about fifteen seconds, each
time more distinctly than before. It resembled somewhat,
the deepest tones of a powerful organ, heard for an instant,
and then abruptly stopped. Nothing was to be seen in
the direction from which it seemed to proceed, but the sea
glittering in the moonlight. Is it to be wonderedat, if we

listened with feelings, tinged with sirperstitious awe, to

74 tOKENS Of tANt).

tliat strange sound, heard under such circumstances, aud
at such an hour ? . Johnny nestled closer to Arthur's side,
and I thought that the faces of my companions grew visibly
])alo. Even Ax'thur looked pez-plexed and disturbed.

" What ca7i that be V said Morton, after a few minutes
cf almost breathless silence, during which we had listened
in vain for its repetition.

" It is certainly very strange," said Arthur. " I never
heard any thing at sea, at all like it, but once, and it is im-
possible that this can be what I then heai-d — but hark I"
And again the same deep pealing sound was repeated
several times, at shorter intervals, but more faintly than
before ; after continuing for a few minutes it ceased again,

" What was the sound which you speak of, as resembling
this ?" asked Morton, when all was silent once more.

" It was the cry of a khul of penguin, found at the Falk-
land Islands ; when heard on shore it is harsh and loud ;
but a short distance at sea, and in the night, it has a

pealing, solemn sound, like that which we have just
heard."

" It must come from land in the neighbourhood," s;iid

Morton, "we can probably hear farther on such a night
as this than we can distinguish land."

" Yes, sounds on the water, in calm still nights, when
there is no wind, can be heard at great distances," said
Arthur ; "it is said that the ' All's well !' of the Britisli
sentinel at Gibraltar, is sometimes heard across the strait,
on the African shore, a distance of thirteen miles. I have
seen, at the Society Islands, native drums made of large

hollow logs, which might pei-haps, at a distance, sound like

what we heard a moment ago. A Wesleyan missionary
there, once told me of a great drum that he saw at the
Tonga Islands, called the 'Tonga Toki,' which sounded

TOKENS OF LANt). 7o

like an immense gong, and co^ilcl be heard from seven to
ten miles.'*

"Why, I thought that this sounded like a gong," said
.lolmny, " 2>erlia.ps we are near some island now ; but what
coidd tliey be drummh]g for so late in the night 1"

" There would be nothing very unusual about that/' said
Arthnr. "The Areoi Societies, which are extended over most
of the larger iiihabited islands in this part of the Pacific,
sometimes hold their great celebrations, like the pow-wows,
and war-dances, of our American Indians, in the night-
time. At the Feejee Islands thoy have a strange ceremony
called 'Tambo Kalanga,' which they celebrate at night,
with the beating of drums, the blowing of conches, and a
number of savage and cruel rites. Something or other of
the same kind is observed at most of the islands, though

under different names, and with slight variations."

Wliile speculating in this way, and endeavouring to
account for the noise wliich had startled us so much, we
all at once became aware of an increasing light in the
south, the ' Cross,' now half-way between tlie horizon anil
tlte zenith, enabling us to fix the points of the compass.
As we gazed in that direction, the sky became strongly
illuminated by a red glare, and an immense column of
flame and smoke was seen shooting up in the distance.
Nothing but the expanse of the ocean, splendidly illumi-
nated, and glowing like a sea of fire, could be discerned by
this light. Whether it was caused by a burning ship, at
such a distance that nothing but the light of her confia-
gi'ation was visible, or by a fire on some distant island, we
could not determine. It was in the same quarter from
which the sound had seemed to come.

Arthur was now of the opinion that we were in the
neighbourhood of an inhabited island, or i:jroup, and thai

76 TOKENS OF LAND.

the light proceeded from the burniug b§che-de-mer house
of some successful trader, who had set fire to it (as is
their custom at the end of a prosperous season), to pre-
vent it from falling into the hands of others in the same
business.

"We all grasped eagerly at this idea, for the probability
that we were not only in the neighbourhood of land, but
of a place where we should meet with Europeans, and have
an opportunity of getting home, or perhaps to the places
of our respective destination, was full of encouragement.
In a very short time the conflagration was over, and a
dark column of smoke, which marked the spot where it
had ragedj was lifted slowly into the air. We heard no

more of the mysterious sound. None of the explanations
suggested were so perfectly satisfactory, as to remove en-
tirely the unpleasant impression which it had produced.
Before lying down in our accustomed places, we made our
usual arrangements as to the watch, unnecessary as it
seemed, during the calm.

PAS?? VATEKfl 77

CHAPTER IX.

DARK WATERS.

••r?fFBINO AND DELIRIUM— THE MIDNIGHT IkATH-

A STRANGE PERIL.

" AVater, water, everywhere,

And all the boards did shrinli;
"Water, water, everywhere —
But not a drop to drink."

Several times in the course of the night, I was awakened
by confused noises, like the "blowing of porpoises, oi' the
spouting of whales ; but the sty had become overcast, and

it had grown so dfwk, that on getting up and looking
about, I could see nothing of the creatures producing these
sounds. My slumbers were broken and uneasy, and in the
morning I found myself suffering from a dull, heavy pain
in the head, accompanied by a slight nausea, and a general

»

feeling of languor and weakness. Even to get upon my
feet required something of an effort, which I made, impelled
rather by a dim, confused sense of duty, than by any spon-
taneous impulse or inclination : had I consulted inclination
alone, I believe I should have remained passive, and let
things take their course.

The occurrences ot the last night had given rise to some

78 DARK WATKRS.

i'aiut cxpectaiion that by daylight we should discover laud

in sight to the southwardj "where we had seen the great
light. But nothing was visible in that or any other quarter.
Tosseaaed by some hope of this kind, Arthur had been up,
searching the horizoUj since the first streak of day in the
east. He showed me a large green branch which he had
jjicked up as it floated near us. By the elegantly scolloped
leaves, of a dai'k and glossy green, it was easily recognized
as a branch of the bread-fruit tree ; and from their bright,
fresh colour, and the whiteness of the wood, where it had
joined the trunk, it must have been torn off quite recently.
The cjthn still continued. Immense schools of black- fish,
or i^orpoises, or some similar species, could be seen about
half a mile distant, passing westward, in an apparently
endless line. The temporary beneficial effect of yesterday's
scanty supply of food a-nd drink, had passed away entirely,
and all seemed to feel in a greater or less degree, the bo-
dily pain and weakness, and the lassitude and indisposition
to any kind of effort, by which I was affected. To such an
extent was this the case, that when Arthur proposed that
we should row towards the school of fish in sight, and try
to take some of them, the strongest disinclination to make
any such attempt was evinced, and it was only after much
argument and persuasion, and by direct personal appeals
to us individually, that he overcame this strange torpor,
and induced us to take to the oars.

On getting near enough to the objects of our pursuit to
distinguish them plainly, we were sorry to find that they
were porpoises instead of black-fish, as we had at first sup-
posed; the former being shy and timid, and much more
difficult to approach than the latter; and so they proved
at present. Still we persevered for awhile ; the hope of
obtainhig food ha"\'ing been once excited, we were almost

BARK "WATERS. 70

as reluciiint to abaiidou the attempt as we had been at first
to commence it. Bat after half an hour's severe labour at
the oara, we were obliged to give it up as quite hopeless,
and soon afterward the last of the long colmnn passed be-
yond pursuit, leaving us completely disheartened and worn
out. The sail was a^rain arrancjed so as to shelter us as
much as possible from the sun, and Arthur commenced
distributing the leaves and twigs of the bi*ead-fruit branch,
suggesting that some slight refreshment might perhaps be
derived from chewiug them. But they retained a saline
taste from having been in the sea water, and no one pro-
ceeded far with the experiment. Morton cut some small
Blips of leather from his boots, and began to chew them.
He fancied that they afforded some nourishment, and re-
commended the rest of us to make a similar trial, which I
believe we all did. Mas almost immediately rejected with
disgiist the first morsel which he put into his mouth, saying
that he must " starve a little longer before he could relish
that." At noon tJie heat was more intense, if possible, than
it had been the day before. Johnny was now in a high
fever, accompanied by symptoms of an alarming cliaracter.
It was distressing to witness his sufferings, and feel utterly
unable to do any thing for him. Yet there was nothing
that we could do — food and drink were the only medicines
he needed, and these we could not give him. Towards the
close of the afternoon he became delirious, and becran to
cry out violently and incessantly for water. His voice
seemed to have changed, and could now scarcely be recog-
nized. There was something very strange and horrible in
the regular, unceasing cries which he uttered, and which
sounded at times almost like the howlings of a brute. Ar-
thur had made a sort of bed for him, to which each of us
contributed such articles of clothing as could be spared. It

50 DARK WATERS.

wtvH now* uccGHsary to "\va,tch liim every moment, and fre-
quently to use force to keep him from getting overboard.
At one time, having got to the side o£ tlie hoat, before he
could be prevented, he commenced dipping up the sea-water
with his hand, and would have drunk it, had he not been
forcibly restrained. After this had histed nearly two
hourSj he suddei-ly ceased his struggles and violent cries,

and began to beg piteously for '^ a drink of water." This
he continued for a considerable time, repeatedly asking Ai^
thur to tell him whi/ he could not have "just a little," since
there was "such a plenty of it."

It is impossible to describe the horrible and sickening
effect of all this upon us, in the state of utter physical pro-
stration to which we had been gradually reduced. Browne
and Arthur watched over Johnny with all the care and
patient unwearying kindness that a mother could have
shown J and they would not permit the rest of us to relieve
them for a moment, or to share any part of their charge,
painful and distressing as it was. Twice, when it became
necessary to hold the little sufferer fast, to prevent him
from getting over the gunwale, he spat fiercely in Arthur's
face, struggling and crying out with frightful vehemence.
But Browne's voice seemed to soothe and controul him, and
wlien Johnny spoke to him, it was gently, and in the lan-
guage of entreaty. Towards night he became more quiet,
and at last sunk into a kind of lethargy, breathing deeply
and heavily, but neither speaking nor moving, except to
turn from one side to the other, which he did at nearly
regular intervals.

This change relieved us from the necessity of constantly
watching and restraining him, but Arthur viewed it as an
unfavourable and alarming symptom ; he seemed now moro
completely depressed than I had ever before seen him, and

DARK WATERS. 81

to be overcome at last by grief^ anxiety, and the horrors of
our situation.

The heat did not abate in the least with the going down
of the sun, but the night, though very close and sultry, was
calm and beautiful, like the last. Soon after the moon
rose, Max and Morton undressed, and bathed themselves
in the sea. The smooth moonlit water looked so cool and
inviting, that the rest of us soon followed their example,
notwithstanding the danger from sharks. We were all
good swimmers, but no one ventured far from the boat ex-
cept Morton ; I found that a few strokes quite exhausted
me, and I was obliged to turn and cling to the gunwale.

In fact, so great was the loss of strength which we had all
suffered, that we came near perishing in a very singular
aud almost incredible manner: After having been in the
water a sufficient time, as I thought, I discovered, on trying
to get into the boat again, that I was utterly unable to do
so, through sheer weakness. At the same time I observed
Max making a similar attempt nearer the stern, with n.*
better success. We were all in the water except Johnny,

any difficulty in getting into the boat again had not been
dreamed of ; but I began now to feel seriously alarmed.
My feet were drawn forcibly under the boat's bottom, and
even to maintain my hold of the gunwale, as we rose and
sunk with the swell, required an exhausting effort, which
1 knew I could not long continue. Arthur was swimmi r.g
near the stern, holding on to the end of a rop3, which he
had cast over before coming in. By great exertion I raised
myself so far as to be able to look over the gunwale, when
I saw Browne in the same position directly opposite me.

" Can't you get into the boat ] " I asked.

" Eeally, I don't think I can," said he, speaking like a
person exhausted.

7

82 DARK WATERS.

" I can't," added Max, faintly, " it is as much as I can do
to maintain my liold." At tliis moment a voice was heard,
calling out, apparently from a distance, " Hilloa ! where
are you ? Hilloa I " It was hoarse, strained, and distressed.
Almost immediately the cry was repeated, much nearer at
hand, as it seemed ; and then, a third time, faint, and dis-
tant as at first. I was horror-stricken ; the cry sounded
strange and fearful, and I did not recognize the voice.
Then it occurred to me that it must be Morton, who had
swum out farther than the rest, and losing sight of the boat

for a moment in the swell of the sea, had become bewildered
and alarmed. This might easily happen ; if but the length
of a wave distant, we should be invisible to him, unless
both should chance to rise on the swell at the same time.
The moon, too, had just passed behind a dark mass of cloud,

and the sea lay in partial obscurity. I now heard Browne
and Arthur shouting, in order, as I supposed, to guide
Morton by the sound of their voices. I, too, called out as
loudly as I was able. For a moment all was still agaiUi
Tlien I heard some one say, " There he is ! " and a dark
speck appeared on the crest of a wave a little to the right.

At this moment the moon shone out brightly, and I saw
that it was Morton, swimming toward us. He reached the
boat panting and out of breath, and catching hold near me
with an almost convulsive effort, remained some minutes
Without being able to speak a word. Arthur, who had
observed Max's struggles to get into the yawl, now swam
roimd to where Morton and I were hanging on, and taking
hold also, his additional weight depressed the gunwale
nearly to the water's edge, when he got his knee over it,
and at last, by a sudden effort rolled into the boat. He
1 hen helped me to get in, and we two the rest.
Morton said that after swimming but a short distanco

DARK WATERS. 83

from the boafc, as he supposed, he found himself getting
tired and very weak, and on turning, greatly to his sur-
prise, could see nothing of us. In reality, however, there
was nothing surprising in this, his face being on a level
with the surface, and the boat with neither sail nor mast
up, being much less in height than the long smooth swells.
Perceiving how great was his danger, and becoming some-
what alarmed, he had called out in the manner described :
when he heard us shouting in return, he was actually
swimming away from us, and it was only by following
the direction of our voices that he had at last reached tho
boat.

That night we kept no regular watch as we had hitherto
done, or at least we made no arrangement for that purpose,
though one or another of us was awake most of the time,
watching Johnny, who continued, however, in the same

deep lethargic slumber.

For my part, it was a long time before I could sleep at
all. There was something in the fate that threatened us,
more appalling than the terrors of death. The impressions
produced by the ravings, and cries, and struggles, of our
poor little fellow-sufferer were yet fresh, and they could
not be effaced. All in vain I strove to control the work-
ings of my morbidly excited imagination — I could not shut
out the fearful thoughts and anticipations which the oc-
currences of the day so naturally and obviously suggested.
The lapse of twenty-four hours might find us all reduced
to the same helpless state, deprived of consciousness and
reason. One after another must succumb to the fever and
become delirious, tmtil he who should last fall its victim,
should find himself alone in the midst of his stricken and
raving companions — alone retaining reason, no longer to
be accounted a blessing, since it could only serve to make

85 DARK WATERS.

him sensible to all theaccumulatedhorroi-sof his situation.
I sliuddered as I contemplated the possibility that I might
be th^.t most wretched one, the last of all to sink and
perish. At length, I began to imagine that my mind was
actually beginning to fail, and that I was becoming deliri-
ous. At first it was but a fearful suspicion. Soon, how-
ever, it took such strong possession of me, that I was
compelled to relinquish all thought of sleep. Sitting up,
I saw that Arthur was awake and by the side of Johnny.
His face was upturned, and his hands clasped as if in
prayei'. I could see his lips move, and even the teant
trickling from beneath his closed lids, for the moonlight
fell upon his countenance. He did not observe me, and
after a few moments he laid down again without speaking,
and soon appeared to slumber like the rest.

Pressing my hands to my head, I leaned over the stern,
my face almost touching the water. A current of cooler
air was stirring close to the surface, as if it trore the

breathing of the sea, for there was no wind. Ho"\ir jjreter-
naturally still every thing seemed — what an intensity of

silence ! How softly the pale moonlight rested upon the
water ) A grand and solemn repose wrajjped the heavens
and the ocean — ^no sound beneath all that vast blue dome
— no motion, but the heaving of the long sluggish sweU.
Gradually I became calmer ; tlie excitement and pertur-
bation of my mind began to subside, and at length I felt
as though I could sleep. As I resumed my place by the
side of Browne, he moved, as if about to awake, and mur-
mured indistinctly some broken sentences. From the
words that escaped him, he was dreaming of that far-oft"
home which he was to behold no more. In fancy he was
wandering again by the banks of the Clyde, the scene of
many a school-boy ramble. But it seemed as thouj^h the

iB^iJido^v of present realities darkened even his dreams, and
he beheld these familiar haunts no longer in the joyous
light of early days. " How strange it looks ! " he muttered
slowly, "how dark tlve river is — how deep and dark! — it
seems to me it was not so then^ Eobert." Truly, companion
in sufiering, this is no falsely coloured dream of thine, for
we Iiave all come at last into deep and dark watara I

SQ A ifklU

CHAPTER X.

A SAIL.

IHE CACHKi.OT AND HIS ASSAILANTS -THE C01IMA^'•

NEW ACQUAINTANCKS.

"StraiiQ^o creatures roui'J 113 s.veeP '-
Strange things come up to look at U3,
The monsters of the deep.'*

The first thought that flashed through my miud with
returning consciousness, in the morning, was, " This is the
last day for liope — unless relief comes to-day in some sha2>e,
we must perish." I was the first awake, and glancing at
the faces of my companions lying about in the bottom of
the boat, I could not help sliudderiug. They had a strange
and xmnatural look — a miserable expression of pain and
weakness. All that was familiar and pleasant to look
upon, had vanished from those sharpened and haggard .
features. Their closed eyes seemed singularly sunken ; .
and their matted hair, sunburned skin, and soiled clothing,
added something of wildness to the misery of their appear-
ance.

Browne, wlio had slept beside me, was breathing hard,
and started every now and then^ as if in pain. Johnny

A SAIL. 87

elumbered so peacefully, and breathed so gently, that for a
moment I was alarmed, and doubted whether he was
breathing at all, until I stooped down and watched him
closely. There were still no indications of a breeze. A
school of whales was visible about a quarter of a mile to
the westward, spouting and pursuing their unwieldy sport ;
but I took no interest in the sight, and leaning over the
gunwale, commenced bathing my head and eyes with the sea-

^

water. Wbile thus engaged I was startled by seeing an
enormous cachelot (the sperm whale) suddenly break the
water within fifteen yards of the boat. Its head, wnich
composed nearly a third of its entire bulk, seemed a moun-
tain of flesh. A couple of small calves followed it, and
came swimming playfully around us. For a minute or two,
the cachelot floated quietly at the surface, where it had

first appeared, throwing a slender jet of water, together
with a large volume of spray and vapour into the air ;
then rolling over upon its side, it began to lash the sea
with its broad and powerful tail, every stroke of which
produced a sound like the report of a cannon. This roused
the sleepers abruptly, and just as they sprang up, and
began to look around in astonishment, for the cause of so
startling a commotion, the creature cast its misshapen head
downwards, and throwing its immense flukes high into the
air, disappeared. "We w^atched anxiously to see where it
would risGj conscious of the perils of such a neighbourhood,
and that even a playful movement, a random sweep of the
tailj while pursuing its gigantic pastime, would be sufficient
to destroy us. It came to the surface at about the same

distance as before, but on the opposite side of the boat,
throwing itself half out of the water as it rose : again it
commenced lashing the sea violently, as if in the mere
wanton display of its terrible strength, until far around,

S8 A SAIL.

the "water was one wide sheet of foam. The calves still
gambolled near us, chasing each other about and under
the yawl, and we might easily have killed one of them,
had we not been deterred by the almost certain conse-
quences of arousing the fury of the old whale. Meantime,
the entire school seemed to be edging down towards us.
There was not a breath of air, and we had no means of
getting out of the way of the danger to which we should be
exposed, if among them, except by taking to the oars ; and
this, nothing short of the most pressing and immediate
peril could induce us to do. But our attention was soon
withdrawn from the herd, to the singular and alarming
movements of the individual near us. Rushing along the
surface for short distances, it threw itself several times
half clear of the water, turning after each of these leaps,
as abruptly as its unwieldy bulk would permit, and run-
ning a tilt with equal violence in the opposite direction.
Once, it passed so near us, that I think I could have
touched it with an oar, and we saw distinctly its small,
dull eye, and the loose, wrinkled, folds of skin, about its
tremendous jaws. For a minute afterwards, the boat
rolled dangerously in ''^ho swell caused by the swift pas-
sage of so vast an object. Suddenly, after one of these
abrupt turns, the monster headed directly towards us, and
came rushing onward with fearful velocity, either net
noticing us at all. or else mistaking the boat for some sea-
creature, with which it designed to measure its strength.

There was no time for any effort to avoid the danger; and
even bad there been, we were too nmch paralyzed by its
imminence, to make such an effort. The whale was
scarcely twelve yards off — certainly not twenty. Behind
it stretched a foaming wake, straight as an arrow. Its
vast mountainous head ploughed up the waves like a

A SAIL. 89

ship's cutwater, piling high the foam and spray before it.
To miss us, was now a sheer impossibility and no earthly

power could arrest the creature's career. Instant de-
struction appeared inevitable. I grew dizzy, and my head
began to swim, while the thought flashed confusedly
through my mind, that infinite wisdom had decreed that
we must die, and this manner of pei'ishing had been chosen
in mercy, to spare us the prolonged horrors of starvation.
What a multitude of incoherent thoughts and recollections
crowded upon my mind in that moment of time ! A thou-
sand little incidents of my past life, disconnected and
trivial — a shadowy throng of familiar scenes and faces,
surged up before me, vividly as objects revealed for an
instant by the glare of the lightning, in the gloom of a
stormy night. Closing my eyes, I silently commended my
eoul to God, and was endeavouring to compose myself for
the dreadful event, when Morton sprang to his feet, and
called hurriedly upon us to shout together. All seemed
to catch his intention at once, and to perceive in it a gleam
of hope ; and standing up we raised our voices in a hoarse
cry, that sounded strange and startling even to ourselves.
Instantly, as it seemed, the whale drove almost perpen-
dicularly downwards, but so great was its momentum,
that its fluked tail cut the air within an oar's length of the
boat as it disappeared.

Whether the shout we had uttered, caused the sudden
plunge to wliich we owed our preservation, it is impos-
sible to decide. Notwithstanding its bulk and power, the
caclielot is said to be a timid creature, except when in-
jured or enraged, and great caution has to be exercised
by whalers in approaching them. Suddenly recollecting
this, the thought of undertaking to scare the formidable
monster, had suggested itself to Morton, and he had acted

go A SAIL.

upon it in sheer desperation, impelled by the same instinct
that causes a drowning man to catch even at a straw.

But, however obtained, our reprieve from danger was
only momentary. The whale came to the surface at no
great distance, and once more headed towards us. If
lightened for an instant, it had quickly recovered from
the panic, and now there was no mistaking the creature's
purpose : it came on, exhibiting every mark of rage, and
with jaws literally wide open. We felt that no device or
effort of our own could be of any avail. We might as
well hope to resist a tempest, or an earthquake, or the
shock of a falling mountain, as that immense mass of
matter, instinct with life and power, and apparently ani-
mated by brute fury.

Every hope had vanished, and I think that we were all
in a great measure resigned to death, and fully expecting

it, when there came, (as it seemed to us, hy actual miracle)
a most wonderful interposition.

A dark, bulky mass (in the utter bewilderment of the
moment, we noted nothing distinctly of its appearance),
shot perpendicularly from the sea twenty feet into the air,
and fell with a tremendous concussion, directly upon the
whale's back. It must have been several tons in weight,
and the blow inflicted was crushing. For a moment the
whale seemed paralyzed by the shock, and its vast frame
quivered with agony; but recovering quickly, it rushed
with open jaws upon its strange assailant, which immedi-
ately dived, and both vanished. Very soon, the whale came
to the surface again ; and now we became the witnesses of
one of those singular and tremendous spectacles, of which
the vast solitudes of tlie tropical seas are doubtless often
the theatre, but which human eyes have rarely beheld.

The cachelot seemed to be attacked bv two powerful

A SAIL. 01

confederates, acting in coucert. The one assailed it from
below, and continually drove it to the surface, while the
other — the dark bulky object — repeated its singular attacks
in precisely the same manner as at first, whenever any part
of the gigantic frame of the whale was exposed, never once
missing its mark, and inflicting blows, which one would
think, singly sufficient to destroy any living creature. At
times the conflict was carried on so near us, as to endanger
our safety ; and we could see all of the combatants with
the utmost distinctness, though not at the same time. The
first glimpse which we caught of the second antagonist of
the whale, as it rose through the water to the attack, ena-
bled us at once to identify it as that most fierce and for-
midable creature — the Pacific Sword-fish.

The other, as I now had an opportunity to observe, was
a fish of full one third the length of the whale itself, and
of enormous bulk in proportion ; it was covered with a
dark rough skin, in appearance not unlike that of an alli-
gator. The cachelot rushed upon its foes alternately, and
the one thus singled out invariably fled, until the other had
an opportunity to come to its assistance ; the sword-fish
swimming around in a wide circle at the top of the water,
when pursued, and the other diving when chased in its
turn. If the whale followed the sword-fish to the sui'face,
it was sure to receive a stunning blow from its leaping
enemy; if it pursued the latter below, the sword-fish there

attacked it fearlessly, and, as it appeared, successfully,
forcing it quickly back to the top of the water.

Presently the battle began to recede from us, the whale
evidently making towards the school, which was at no great
distance ; and strange as tlie sight was, we watclied it with
but a languid interest, as soon as our safety appeared to be
no longer involved. The whale must hnve been badly hurt

92 A ftAfL.

for tlie water wliicli it threw up on coming tc wlie surface
and spouting, was tinged with blood. After this I saw no
more of the sword-fish ajid his associate ; they had prob-
ably abandoned the attack.* As nearly as I can recollect,
we did notj either during the progress of the fight, or after
it was over, exchange a single word on the subject, so dumb
and apathetic had we become. After awhile the school of
whales appeared to be moving off, and in half an houi'
more, we lost sight of them altogether.

All this while, Johnny had continued to sleep soundly,
and his slumbers seemed more natural and refreshing than
before. "When at length he awoke, the delirium had ceased,
and he was calm and gentle, but so weak that he could
not sit up without being supported. After the disappear-
ance of the whales, several hours passed, during which we
lay under our awning without a word being spoken by any
one. Throughout this day, the sea seemed to be alive with
fish ; myriads of them were to be seen in every direction ;
troops of agile and graceful dolphins ; revolving black-fish,

* Tliis fish story has several rather astonishing features — at least
to an inexperienced landsman. The sword-fish and thresher are
said to seek and attack the right whale together; but a nautical
friend, whom 1 have consulted on the subject, sajs, he has never heard
of their interfering with the cachelot, or sperm-whale, which would,
he thinks, be very likely to make mince-meat of them both, sliould
they be guilty of sucli temerity : the right whale uses no other
weapon than his powerful tail; whereas the cachelot goes at an
adversary with open jaws. Upon my inquiry whether threshers, "of
several tons weight," and jumping "twenty feet into the air," were
common, my friend the captain, seemed piqued at my implied scep-
ticism as to marine monsters, and briefly made answer, that tliere
ivere more strange creatures in the sea, than were dreamed of in my
pliilosopliy, and that "many an old sailor could give more real in-
formation on the subject, than all the natural history books in the
world,"

A SAIL. 93

chased by ravenous sharks ; leaping albatross, dazzlicg the
eye "vvitli the flash of tlieir golden scales, as they shot into
the air for a moment ; porpoises, bonito, flying-fish, and a
hundred unknown kinds which I had never seen or heard
of. At oue time we were surrounded by an immense shoal
of small fishes, about the size of mackerel, so densely
crowded together that their backs presented an almost
solid surface, on which it seemed as if one might walk
dry-shod. None^ however, came actually within our reach^
and we made no effort to approach them.

From the time of our wonderful escape from being de-
stroyed by the whale, until the occurrence which I am
about to relate, I remember nothing distinctly — all seems
vague and dream-like. I could not say with confidence,
from my own knowledge, whether the interval consisted of

several days, or of only a few feverish and half-delirious
hours ; nor whether the sights and sounds of which I have
a confused recollection, were real, or imaginary. I think,
howeverj that it must have been in the afternoon of the
same day (Arthur is confident that it was), that Morton
came to me as I lay in the bottom of the boat in a state of
utter desperation and self-abandonmentj and aroused me,
saying in a hoarse and painful wliisper, that there was a

vessel in sight. Even this announcement hardly suflaced
to overcome the stupor into which I had sunk, and it was
with a reluctant effort, and a feeling akin to annoyance at
being disturbed, that I sat up and looked around me. My

eyes were so much inflamed that I could see nothiug dis-
tinctly.

The first thing that I observed, was, that the calm was at
an end. A breeze had sprung up, and was blowing gently
but pretty steadily from the south. The surface of the sea
was slightly rufiied, and if-n dead stagnant aspect, had given

94 A SAIL.

place to one of breezy freslinees. In this change there was
something reviving and strengthening. Far to the south,
where Morton pointed out the vessel which he had dis-
covered, I could just distinguish a white speck upon the
water, which seemed more like the crest of a wave than
any thing else. Morton had already called Arthur's atten-
tion to it, 'and he was watching it intently. Gradually it
became m.ore distinct, and in half an hour, I too, could
make it out plainly, to be a small sailing vessel of some
description. As she was coming directly down before
the wind, there seemed to be no need of doing any thing to
attract her attention. I now hastened to reanimate Max
and Browne, by communicating to them the intelligence
that relief was probably at hand. In three quarters of an
hour more, the strange sail was near enough to enable 113
to see that she was a large double canoe, such as is used by
some of the islanders of the South Pacific, in their trading
voyages. It had two masts, with large triangular mat-sails,
and appeared to contain six or seven persons only, whom
we supposed to be natives of some neighbouring island. As

soon as they were within speaking distance, one of them,
to our great astonishment, hailed us in French. Arthur
undertook to answer in the same language, when the other,
probably perceiving that the French was not his native
tongue, spoke to us in tolerable English, but with a strong
French accent. It was easy to perceive, now that our
attention was particularly called to him, that the spokes-
man was a European. Though almost naked like the rest,
and elaborately tattooed upon the chest and shoulders, his
light hair and beard, and florid through sun-burnt skin,
sufficiently distinguished him from them. Of course the
first thing with us, was to make known our wants, and to
ask for food, and above all for water. As soon as they

A SAIT.. 95

could bring the canoe near enough, the Frenchman watoh-
iug his opportunity, reached out to iis a large gourd
containing water, of which we drank plentifully, passing it
I'oiind several times. Arthur hastened to pour a little into
J'ohnny's mouth, and the effect was astonishing : he seemed
to revive almost instantaneously, and sitting up, he seized
the gourd himself and drank eagerly as long as Arthur
would let him. The Frenchman next tossed us something
wrapped in Banana leaves, a thick, dark-coloured paste of
some kind. It was enough that it was an article of food,
and we devoured it, without pausing for any very close
examination, though its appearance was by no means in-
viting, and it had a crude and slightly acid taste. He
threw us also several thin, hard cakes, similar in taste and
colour to the other substance. Both were probably prepara-
tions of the bread-fruit, the latter being dried and hardened
in the sun, or by fire. Eavcnously hungry as we were, these
supplies were divided and apportioned with the most
scrupulous exactness. On finding that the natives were
Well supplied with water, having several large gourds full^
we passed the calabash roimd again, luitil we had drained

it dry, when they gave us another gourd. Meanwhile,
though we were too busy to look about us much, the canoe's
people watched us very narrowly, and in such a manner
as to make me feel uneasy and doubtful as to their inten-
tions, notwithstanding their kindness thus far. As soon aa
the first cravings of hunger and thirst were satisfied, I
began to return their scrutiny, and I now observed that
they differed in many respects from the Tahitians, and from
all the other Polynesian tribes of which I knew any thing.
Their complexion was a clear olive ; their faces oval, with
regular features ; their hair straight and black; their eyes
large, and the general "Expression of their countenancea

or.

A SAIL.

simple and pleasing, tliough there were several kceiij crafty-
look iug faces among them. All were tattooedj more or lo.?3
profusely, the chests of some resembling checker-boards,
and others being ornamented with rosettes, and representa-
tions of various natiiz-al objects, as birds, fishes, trees, &c.
Their only clothing consisted of the maro, a strip of tapi:)a,
or native cloth, tied round the loins. A wave happening
to tlirow the boats nearly together, one of the natives caught
hold of our gunwale at the stern, and another at the bow,
and thus kept the canoe alongside.

They now began to cast searching glances at us, and at
every thing in the yawl. I observed the Frenchman intently
eying the handle of one of the cutlasses, which protruded
from beneath a fold of canvass. He inquired eagerly
whether we had any firearms, and seemed greatly dis-
appointed to find that we had not. He next asked for
tobacco, with no better success, which apparently sx^rprised
him very much, for he shrugged his shoulders, and raised

his thick eyebrows with a doubtful and incredulous look.
At this moment the gilt buttons upon Max's jacket seemed
to strike the fancy of one of our new friends, and excited
his cupidity to such a degree, that after fixing upon them
a long and admiring gaze, he suddenly reached over and
made a snatch at them. He got hold of one, and in trying
to pull it oflf, came very near jerking Max overboard. Mor-
ton, who was sitting next to Max, interfered, and caught
the man by che arm, with a look and manner that m.ade
me fear he might do something imprudent. The savage,
who was an athletic fellow, obstinately maintained his hold
of Max's jacket, and casting a ferocious glance at Morton,
snatched up a short, thick paddle, and brandished it over
his head as if about to strike. Arthur appealed to the
Frenchman to interpose, but hefora h.e could do so, one of

A SAIL. 8=3

the natives, a haudsome boy, who was seated cross-legged
upou a platform between the masts, spoke to the man in
a raised voice, and with an air of authority, whereupon,
to my surprise, he immediately dropped the paddle, and
sullenly desisted from his attempt. This lad, who seemed
to be so promptly obeyed, did not Ic.ok to be more than
thirteen or fourteen years of age. His voice was soft and
girlish ; he had a remarkably open and pleasing counte-
nance, and surveyed us with an air of friendly interest, very
different from the sinister and greedy looks of several of
the others, including the Frenchman himself. In answer
to the questions of the latter, Arthur told him that we were
Americans, and related very briefly how we had come into
our present situation. He then informed us in turn, that
he had been cast away, some six years before, in a French
barque engaged in the tortoise-shell traffic, upon an un-
inhabited island, about forty miles from the one where he
and those with him, now lived. After remaining there
for more than a year, he and his companions, having reason
to believe that they were in the neighbourhood of a group
occasionally visited by trading vessels, had set out in search
of it, in a small boat. Their belief as to the existence and
situation of these islands proved to be well founded ; they
had finally succeeded in reach in.sjtliem, had been bospitably

received and treated by the natives, among whom they had
acquired considerable influence, but had as yet had no
opportunity of returning home.

They were now, he said, on their return from a trading
voyage to a neighbouring island, where they had just dis-
posed of a cargo of mats and tappa, in exchange for baskets
of native manufacture, and sharks' teefh. Having been

Decalmed all the preceding day and night, they feared that
they had drifted out of their course, since, otherwise, they

Q

98 A SAlt.

oughtj after making full allowance for tlie calm, to La'^*
already readied their own island. He finished by assur-
ing uSj that we might calculate with confidencej upon
enjoying perfect security and kind treatment among these
people.

The conference being concluded, he directed us to put
up our sail, and steer after the canoe ; adding that he
expected to reach the group before midnight, if the wind
held fair. He spoke with the air of one delivering a com-
mand, anl evidently considered us entirely under his
control. But of course we felt no disposition to object to
what he directed. The fact, that the natives had treated
him and his companions so well, was an encouragement to
us, as affording some proof of their friendly and peaceful
character, and we supposed that he could have no possible
motive for using his influence to our prejudice. Even had
there been any other course for us to choose, to escape
perishing, we were in no condition to make any effectual
cpposition to the will of our new acquaintancea.

▲ CATASTROI'KB. &0

CHAPTER XI.

A CATASTROPHE.

I HE UHIRLINU COLUMNS — A STUPENDOUS SPECTACLE — AVE LOSK

O'Jll NEW FRIENDS.

" Still round and round tlie fluid vortex flies,
Scattering dun night, and liorror tlirough the skies,
The swift volution and the enormous train
Let sages versed in Nature's lore explain;
The horrid apparition still draws nigh,
And white with foam the -whirling surges fl^."

The breeze was now steady, thougli gentle, and Max
and Morton set to work rigging the sail, wliich for the last
two days had served as an awning.

During our mutual inquiries and explanations, the
Frenchman had kept the canoe close alongside of us; he
now braced round the yard of his triangular sail, which
had been shaking in the wiudj and began to draw ahead.
The young native who had interfered so efifectually in
Max's behalf, observing the eagerness with which wo had
devoured the doughy mass of pounded bread-fruit, tossed
another cake of the same substance into the boat as we
separated, which, when distributed, afforded a morsel or
two to each of us. I had particularly observed this boy
on the first approach of the canoej from the circumstance

JOO A CATASTROrilE.

of his occupying a small raised platfornij or dais, of wicketv
work, covered with mats.

As our sail had been entirely disengaged from the mast
and gaif, it was quite a piece of work to rig it again for ser-
vice, and by the time this was effected, the canoe was
some distance ahead of us: though she was far better
adapted than the yawl for sailing with a light breeze, yet
w-e nearly held our own with her, after once getting fairly
tmder way,

"When the wind first sprang up, the sky had become
slightly overcast with broken masses of clouds, of a pecu-
liar and unusual appearance. From the most considerable
of these masses, radiated, as from a centre, long lines, like
pencils of light, running in straight, regularly diverging
rays, to the ocean.

"We had been sailing in the wake of the canoe^ perhaps
half an hour, when I observed in the south-west, a singu-
larly shaped cloud, to which a dark column, extending
downward to the sea, appeared to be attached. Tliis co-
lumn was quite narrow at the base, but enlarged as it rose,
until just below the point of union with the cloud, it spread
outward like a gothic pillar, diverging into arches as it
meets the roof. I surA^eycd this strange spectacle for
several minutes before its true character occurred to me.
It was already observed by those in the canoe, and from
their exclamations and gestures, they evidently viewed it
with apprehension and dread.

It was moving slowly towards us, and we also watched,
with feelings in Avlxich alarm began to predominate over
curiosity and interest, the majestic approach of this vast
body of water (as we now perceived it to be,) held by
some secret power suspended between heaven and earth.

"It appears to be movinp- north before the wind," laaid

A CATASTROPHE. 101

Arthur, at length ; " if it keeps on its present course, it
■will pass by, at a safe distance on our left."

This seemed probable ; but we felt disposed to give it a
still wider berth, and shifting tlie sail, we steered in a
northH3asterly direction. Scarcely had our sail filled on
the new tack, when a cry of terror again drew attention
to the canoe, and the natives were seen pointing to another
water-spout, moving slowly round from the east to the

uortli, and threatening to intercept us in the course we
were pursuing. This, unlike the first, was a cylindrical
column of water, of about the same diameter throughout
its entire length, extending in a straight and unbroken
line from the ocean to the heavens. Its upper extremity
was lost amid a mass of clouds, in which I fancied I could
perceive the effects of the gradual diffusion of the water
drawn from the sea, as it wound its way upward with a
rapid spiral motion, ami poured into that elevated reser-
voir. As the process went on, the cloud grew darker,
and seemed to stoop with its accumulating weight of
waters.

Our position was fast becoming embarrassing and dan-
gerous. We had changed our course to avoid the first
water-spout, and now we were confronted by another still
nearer at hand.

For a moment all was confusion, indecision, and dis-
may.

" Quick ! round with her head, and let her go right bo-
fore the wind)" shouted Max hurriedly.

" That would bo running directly into the danger,"
cried Morton, " they are both moving north, and approach-
ing each othev."

" Then let as pull down the sail, until they are at a safa

102 A CATASTROrnE.

" I would ratlier keep her under lieadway/' said Arthur,
•^ or how could we escape, if one of them should move down
upon us ^"

" "What can we do, then ?" exclaimed Max : " we can't
sail in the teeth of the wind."

" I am for going about to the left again, and steering as
near the wind as possible," said Arthur ; " the one on that
side i^ farthest north."

This was the course which the natives had already
adopted, and they were now steering nearly soutli-wcst.
We immediately followed their exami:)le, and the fore and
aft rig of the yawl enabled us to sail nearer the wind thau
they could do.

In a few moments the funnel-shaped water-spout, which
we had first seen, had passed off northward, and was at
such a distance as to remove all apprehensions on account
of it. Not so, however, with the second ; for hardly had
we tacked again, when, notwithstanding that we were to

windward of it, it began to move rapidly towards us.

Its course was not direct and vmiform, but it veered now
to the right and now to the left, rendering it difficult for
us to decide which way to steer in order to avoid it.

Arthur sat at the helm, pale, but quite calm and col-
lected, his eyes steadfastly fixed on the advancing column,
while Johnny crouched at his side, holding fast one of his
hands in both his own. Morton held the sheet, and stood
ready to shift the sail, as the emergency might require.

Onward it came, towering to the skies, and darkening
the ocean with its impending bulk; soon we could per-
ceive the powerful agitation of the water far around its
base, and within the vortex of its influence: a deuse cloud
of spray, thrown off in its rapid revolutions, enveloped its

lower extremity : the rushing sound of the water as it was

A CATASTilOPHE. 103

drawn upward, was also distinctly audible. And now it
seemed to take a straight course for the canoe. The na-
tives, Tvith the exception of the boy, threw themselrea
down in the bottom of the boat in abject terror ; it was,
indeed, an appalling spectacle, and calculated to shake the
stoutest heart, to see that vast mass of water, enough as it
seemed, to swamp the navies of the world, suspended so
strangely over them.

The Frenchman appeared to be endeavouring to get the
natives to make some exertion, but in vain. He and the
boy then seized a couple of paddles, and made a frantic
effort to escape the threatened danger ; but the whirling
pillar was almost upon them, and it seemed as though they
were devoted to certain destruction. The Frenchman
now threw down his paddle, and sat with his hands folded
on his breast, awaiting his fate. The boy, after speaking
earnestly to his companion, who merely shook his liead,
stood up in the prow of the canoe, and casting one shud-
dering look at the dark column, he joined his hands above
hia head, and plunged into the sea. In a moment he came
to ihe surface, and struck out vigorously towards us.

The canoe seemed already within the influence of the
water-spout, and was drawn towards it mth the violently

agitated waters around its base. The Frenchman, unable
longer to endure the awful sight, bowed his head upon his
hands 3 another moment, and he was lost to sight in the
circle of mist and spray that enveloped the foot of the
column ; then a strong oscillation began to be visible in
the body of the water-spout ; it swayed heavily to and fro ;
the cloud at its apex seemed to stoop, and the whole mass
broke and fell, with a noise that might have been heard
for miles. The sea, far around, was crushed into smooth-
uess by the shock ; immediately wljeye the vast pillar had

104 A CATASTROPIIK.

stootlj it boiled like a calcb'ou ; tlien a succession of waves,
white with foam, came circling outward from the spot,
extending even to us.

The native boy, who swam fcster than we sailed, was
already within forty or fifty yards of ns, and we put
about and steered for him: in a moment he was along-
side, and Arthur, reaching out his hand, helped him into
the boat.

The sea liad now resumed its usual appearance, and
every trace of the water-spout was gone, so that it was
impossible to fix the spot where it had broken. 'Not a
vestige of the canoe, or of her ill-fated company, was any
where to be seen. AVe sailed backward and forward in
the neighbourhood of the place, carefully scrutinizing the
surface in every direction, and traversing several times the
spot, as nearly as we could determine it, where the canoe
had last been seen : but our search was fruitless : the long
billows swelled and subsided with their wonted regularity,
and their rippled summits glittered as brightly in the

sunshine as ever, but they revealed no trace of those whom
they had so suddenly and remorselessly engulfed.

The water-spout which had first been seen, had di3ai>
j)eared, and a few heavy clouds in the zenith alone re-
mained, as evidences of the terrific phenomenon which we
had just witnessf^d.

OUR ISLAiSD HOME. H*5

CHAPTER XII.

OUIl ISLAND HOME.

FHB ILLUSION OF THE GOLDEN HA-ZE — THE WALL OF BREAKLUS —

A STRUGGLE FOB. LIFE — THE ISLET QF PALMS.

"Keel never ploughed that lonely sea,
That isle no human eye liath viewed;
Around it still in tumult rude,
Tlie sur^^es everlastingly.
Burst on the coral-gjrded shore
With mighty bound and ceaseless roar*
A fresh unsullied work of God,
By human footstep yet untrod."

The native lad now seemed to bo quite overwhelmea
with grief. He had made no manifestations of it while
we were endeavouring to discover some trace of his com-
panions, but when at length we relinquished the attempt,
and it became certain that they had all perished, he ut-
tered a low, wailing cry, full of distress and anguish, and
laying his head upon his hands, sobbed bitterly.

The Frenchman had told us that the island lay to the
northT\'"ard ; and we now put the head of the boat in that
direction, steering by the sun, which was just setting.

When the first violence of the boy's grief had somewhat
a:biited, Arthur spoke to him gently, in thd dialect of the §1^

106 OUR ISLAIJD HOME.

ciety Islands. He listened attentively, turning his large eyes
upon Artliii r's face with an expression of mingled timidity and
interest, and replied in a low, musical voice. They seemed
to understand one another, and talked together for some
time. The language spoken by the boy, differed so little,
as Arthur told us. from that of the Tahitians, tliat lie
easily gathered the meaning of "what iie said. Upon being
questioned as to the distance of the island, and the course
which we must steer in order to reach it, he jjointed to a
bright star, just beginning to be visible in the north-east.
It is customary with the South-sea Islanders, before
setting out on their long voyages, in which it is necessary
to venture out of sight of land, to select some star by which
to regulate their course in the night-time ; this they call
the " aveia," or guiding star of the voyage. They are thus

enabled to sail from island to island, and from group to
group, between which all intercourse would otherwise be
impossible without a compass. The star now pointed out
to us, had been fixed upon by the companions of the little
islander, at the commencement of their ill-fated voyage, as
marking the direction of the home which they were des-
tined never to regain. Among other things, we loaicned from
the boy, that his native island, which we were now endca-
Tounng to reach, was the largest of a group of three, over

ail of which his father's authority, as chief or king, extend-
ed; that there were six whites living among them, who
had arrived there many years before, with the one who
had just perished, and had come from an uninhabited
island to the southward, upon which they had been
wrecked.

During the night the wind continued fair, and animated
by the hopes to which the statements of the little native
had given rise, we renewed our watch, winch had lately

OUn ISLAND HOME. 107

been discontinued, and sailed steadily northward, cherish-
ing a strong confidence that we should reach land before
morning.

The second watch — from a little after midnight to dawn
^fell to me. As it began to grow light, I almost feared
to look northward, dreading the shock of a fresh disap-
pointment, that must consign us again to the benumbing
apathy from which we had yesterday rallied.

There seemed to me to be something unusual in the
atmosphere, that impeded, or rather confused and bewil-
dered the sight; and when the sun rose, I had not made
out any thing like land. It was not mist or fog, for the
air was dry, and there were already indications of a fiercely
hot day, though it was yet fresh and cool. The sky above
us, too, was perfectly clear, all the clouds seemed to have
slid down to the horizon, along which a white army of
them was marshalled, in rounded fleecy masses, like Alpine
peaks towering one above another, or shining icebergs,
pale and cold as those that drift in Arctic seas.

One by one my companions awoke to learn the failure,

thus far, of all the sanguine expectations of the preceding
evening. The native boy could suggest no reason why we
had not reached the island, and when Questioned on the
subject, and told that we had steered all through the niglit
by the " aveia," he merely shook his head with a bewil-
dered and hopeless look. Max, on perceiving that we were
still out of sight of land, threw himself down again in the
bottom of the boat without speaking a word, where he
remained with his eyes closed as if sleeping.

Arthur, after some further conversation with the little
islander, came to the conclusion that in steering due nortli,
we had not made suflicient allowance for the strong cur-
rent setting westward ; and lie proposed that we should

108 OUR ISLAND HOME.

now sail directly east, to which no objection was made,
most of us having at last come to feel that it could matter
little what course we thenceforth steered. He accordingly
took the direction of things into his own hands : the wind,
which had moderated, was still from the west, and he put
the boat before it, and lashed the helm. The peculiar
appearance of the atmosphere still cciLtinued. During the
morning a number of tropic birds flew by us, the first that
we had seen since our sepaivition from the sliip. About
noon, two noddies alighted on the gaff, and the little native
climbed the mast after them ; but though they are generally
so tame, or so stupid, as to permit themselves to be ap-
proached and taken with the hand, these flew away before
he could seize them. AVe hailed the appearance of these
birds as a favourable omen, neither species being often
seen at any considerable distance from land. It was, I
suppose, about an hour after this, that happening to look
back, I saw what appeared to be a liigh island, covered

with tall groves of pahns, some two miles distant. The
elevated shores, and the green tops of the ti'ces, wero

plainly visible ; but just at the point where land and water
met, tlicre was a kind of hazy indistinctness in the view.
AVe were sailing directly from it, and I could not undei--
stand how we had passed as near as we must liave done
without observing it. Browne, catching sight of It almorit
at the same time with myself^ uttered an exclamation tiiat
quickly ?trc-iised the attention of the rest, and we all stood
for a moment gazui^,, 'ialf iucredulously, upon llie land
wliich seemed to have started up so sudd:,*n!y out of the
sea, in the very track which we had just passed over.

Arthur alone, appeared to be but little moved ; he looked
long and intently, without uttering a word.

"This is singular — very singular T' saM Aloiton. "U

OtTtl ISLAND HOME. 109

fleems as though wo must have sailed over the very -^rot
where it lies."

" Tluless I am mistaken," said Arthur, " we have been
going backward for some time past : we must be in a very
powerful current, which is carrying us in a directicra con-
trary to that in which we are heading : the wind is so light
that this is not impossible."

" I believo you are right," said Morton, " I can account
for it in no other way."

'* We had better then pull down the sail, and take the
benefit of the full force of the current," resumed Arthur :
this was accordingly done, and the mast unstepped.

A short time passed, during which we appeared to be
steadily drawing nearer to the land. The shore itself
where it emerged from the ocean, we could not see with
perfect distinctness : a fine, golden haze, like a visible at-
mosphere, waved and quivered before it, half veiling it
from sight, and imparting to it an uncertain, though bright
and dazzling aspect : but this appearance was confined to
the lower part of the land ; the bold shores and high groves
were clearly defined.

" I trust we are not the subjects of some fearful illusion,"
said Browne, breaking a long silence, during which all eyes
had been rivetted upon the island; " but there is something
very strange about all this — it has an unearthly look."

As he spoke, the bright haze which floated over the sea
near the surface, began to extend itself upward, and to

grow denser and more impervious to the sight : the wooded
shores became indistinct and dim, and seemed gradually
receding in the distance, until the whole island, with its
bold heights and waving groves, dissolved and melted away
like a beautiful vision.

" "What is this 1" exclaimed Browne, in a voice of hor-

110 OUn ISLAND HOME.

ror. " I should tiiinkj if I believed such thiugs permitted,
that evil spirits had power here on the lonely sea, and were
sporting with our misery."

" It is a mirage," said Arthur quietl}'", " as I suspected
from the first. But courage ! though what we have seen
was aai optical illusion, there must be a real island in the
distance beyond, of which this was the elevtited and refracted
image. It camiot, I think, be more than thirty or forty
miles off, and the current is sweeping us steadily towards it."

" I suppose then," said Morton, " that we can do nothing
better, than to trust ourselves entirely to this current, which
must, in fact, be a pretty powerful one — at least as rapid
as the Gulf Stream."

" We can do nothing better until the wind changes," re-
plied Arthur, cheerfully ; " at present I am disposed to
tliink we are doing very well, and fast approaching land."

But there was no change of the wind, and we continued
hour after hour, apparently making no progress, hut in
reality, as we believed, drifting steadily westward. All
through the day we maintained a vigilant watch, lest by
any possibility we should miss sight of the island which
Arthur was so confident we were approaching. Late in
the afternoon we saw a ilock of gannets, and some sooty
tern; the gannets passing so near that we could hear the
motion of their long twisted wings. Later still, a number
of small reef-birds passed over head ; all were flying west-
ward. This confirmed Arthur in his belief of the proximity
of land, " See," said he, " these little reef-birds are bound
in the same direction with the others, and with ourselves;
you may depend upon it, that the sea-fowl wa have seen,

are hastening homeward to their nests, on some not far
distant shore."

So fully did I share this confidence, that I commenced a

OUU ISLAND HOME. Ill

calculation as to the time at wiuc)i we might expect to
reach laud. Assuming it to have been thirty miles distant
at the time when we had seen its spectrum, by means ot
the refraction, arising from a peculiar state of the atmos-
phere; and estimating the rate of the current at three
miles an hour, I came to the conclusion that we could not
even come in sight of it, until late at night; and it was
therefore without any strong feeling of disappointment,
that I saw the day fast drawing to a close, and nothing but
sky and ocean yet visible.

The sun had already set, but the long tract of crimson
and flame-coloured clouds that glowed in the horizon where
he had disappeared, still reflected light enough to render it
easy to distinguish objects in that quarter^ when. I wa«
startled by a cry of joyful surprise from the native boy, who,
shading his eyes with his hands, was looking intently west-
ward. After a long and earnest gazo, he spoke eagerly to
Arthur, who told us that the boy thought he saw his native
island. Looking in the same direction, I could make out
nothbig. Arthur and Browne spoke of a brilliantly white
line, narrow, but well-defined against the horizon, as being

all that they could see. Morton, who was very keen-
sighted, thought that he distinguished some dark object be-
yond the lo^ white band seen by the others. As the light
gradually tailed, we lost sight of this appearance. It waa
some hours before the rising of the moon, which we awaited
with anxiety. She was now at her full, and wdien at length
she came up out of the sea, her disc, broad and red like a
Deamless sun, seemed to rest, dilated to preternatural size,
upon the edge of tho last wave that swelled against the
horizon. As she ascended the sky, she shed over the ocean
a flood of silvery light, less glaring, but almost as bright M4
that of day. The wonderful brilliancy of the moon ux;^

1 i2 OtiR ISLA15D HOltE.

stars within the tropics, is one of the first things noted by
the voyager. It may be owing to the great clearness and
ti'ansparency of the atmosphere: but, whatever the cause,
their light is much more powerful than in higlier latitudes,
and they seem actually nearer, and of greater magnitude.
We now looked eagerly westward again ; the snow-white
line, of which the others had sj^oken, was by this time dis-
tinctly visible to me also, and beyond it, too plainly relieved
against the clear blue of the sky, to admit of doul)t or illu-
sion, were the high outlines of a tropical island, clothed

with verdure to its summit.

Again the little islander shouted joyously, and clasped
his hands, while the tears streamed down his olive cheeks.

He recognized his native island, the smallest and most
easterly of the three, of which his father was the chief.
We should soon come in siglit of the remaining two, he
said, which were lower, and lay to the north and south of
it ; he explained that the appearance, like a low white line
running along the base of the island, was caused by the
surf, bursting upon a coral reef about a mile from the
shore.

Here then, at last, was the land which we had at oll
time despaired of ever beholding again, and now we were
well assured that it was no airy phantasm ; yet, strange
as it may seem, our feelings were not those of unmingled

joy-

A thousand vague apprehensions and surmises of evil,
began to suggest themselves, as we appi cached this un-
known shore, inhabited by savages, and under tlie domi-
nion of a savage. We doubted not, that we might depend
upon the good-will, and friendly offices of the little native,
but we felt at the same time, that the influence of one bo

young, might prove insufficient for our protection.

OtTh ISLAND HOME. K3

We Were in some measure acquainted with the savage
customs, the dark and cruel rites, that prevailed among tho
Polynesian races generally, and had often listened with
horror, to the recital of what Arthur and his tinele had
themselves seen, of their bloody superstitions, and abomi-
nable practices. j\s I looked into the faces of my com-
panions, it was easy to perceive that they were possessed
by anxious and gloomy thoughts.

Meanwhile, the current continued to sweep us steadily
onward toward the shore, the outlines of which became
every moment more distinct. Occasionally a cloud drifted
athwart the moon, and cast a soft shade u^^on the sea, ob-
scuring the view for a time ; but when it had passed, the
2and seemed to have drawn perceptibly nearer during the
interval. At length, when the night was far advanced, and
tJie island was right before us, at the distance of scarcely
a mile, the native lad, who had been gazing wistfully towai'd
it for the last half-hour, uttered a plaintive cry of di»ap-

pointment. He liad looked long and anxiously, for the
appearance of the two remaining islands of his father's
group, but in vain ; and now he yielded reluctantly to the
conviction, that he had been deceived by the white lino of
»urf, similar to that which bounded on one sii-Ie his native

island, and that he had never before seen the one which
we were approaching. This discovery was a relief to me,
and removed a weight of apprehension from my mind.
The thought of being cast upon a desert, and uninhabited
shore, seemed less dreadful, than that of falling into the
power of a tribe of savage islanders, even under circum-
stances which would probably secure us a friendly recep-
ti'.n.

But now a strange and unforeseen difficulty presented
itself. Between us and the island, stretched a barrier reef,

n

H4 OUR ISLAND HOME.

running noiih and south, and curving westward ; and ap-
pearing, as far as we could see, completely to surround it
Along the whole line of this reef, the sea was breaking
with such violence as to render all approach dangerous ;
neither could we espy any break or opening in it, through
whicli to reach tlie shore. Towards this foaming barrier
the current was rapidly bearing us, and we were too feeble
to struggle long against its force. To permit ourselves to
be carried upon the reef would be certain destruction,
and our only hope of safety seemed to lie in discovering
some inlet through it. Our true situation flashed upon me
all at once ; I had not before thought of the impossibility
of receding. Glancing at Arthur, I caught his eye, and
saw that he comprehended the full extent of the danger.
" We are near enough to see any break in the reef/' said
he, "let us now take to the oars, and coast along it in search
of one,"

This was accordingly done. But it was not until we had
pulled along the sliore for some time, and found that in
spite of our endeavours to preserve our distance from
It, we were steadily forced nearer, tliat the rest seemed
aware of the imminence of the danger.

"The current is carrying us among the breakers,'* ex-
claimed Morton, at length, "though we are heading rather

away from the shore, we are getting closer every moment,'*
This appalling fact was now apparent to all.

" The wind seems to have died away," said Browne, " at
any rate there is not enough of it to help us : we must put
about, and pull out of the reach of this surf, or we are
lost."

"How long do you suppose we can continue ihatT' said
Arthm*. "No, our only hope is in Ending an entrance
through the reef, and that speedily."

OUft ISLAND HOME. 115

We now steered a little further awaj'j and strained at
the oars, as those who struggle for life. Occasionally, when
lifted on the crest of a wave, we caught a transient glimpse
of a smooth expanse of water beyond the foaming line
of surf, and extending from the inner edge of the reef, to
tlie shore of the island. The tall tops of the palms bor-
dering the beach, seemed scarcely a stone's throw dis-
tant, and you could fancy, that but for the roar of the
breakers, you might hear the rustling of their long, droop-
ing leaves ; but it only added to the horror of our situa-
tion, to see that safe and peaceful haven, so near, yet so
inaccessible.

In some places the reef rose quite out of the water ; in
others, it was, in nautical phrase, " all awash ;" but nowhere
could we attempt a landing with safety. All the while, too,
it was evident, that in spite of our desperate exertions, we
were being driven nearer and nearer the breakers. This
kind of work had continued almost an hour, when our
strength began to fail,

"There appears to be no use in this, comrades," said

Browne, at last ; " had we not better just let her go upon
the reef, and take our chance of being able, to get to th<j

sliore?"

'• O, no ! '' exclaimed Artliur, earnestly, " that is too
'.lesperate."

" We «hall be so completely exhausted that we shan't be
able to make an effort for our lives, when at last we are
carried into the surf," answered Ercwne, ''and we must
come to that sooner or later."

*'I hope not — there is reason to hope not," rejoined Ar-
thur, " but if so, we may as well be exhausted, as fresh ; no

strength will be of any avail ; we shall be crushed ;ind

mangled upon the rocks ; or if by any possibility som« of

116 otE istAKD aoiis.

us should reach the shore, what is to become of our poor,
sick Johnny ? "

" I will look after him," said Brownej " I will pledge my-
self that he shan't be lost, unless I am too."

"Let us hold out a few moments yet," implored Arthur;
" I will take your oar ; you are the only one who has not
been relieved."

'^No," said Browne, "you had better keep the heim ;
I can stand it a while longer, and I will pull until we
are swept upon the reef, if you all think that the best
plan."

It was barely possible that if we should now act as Browne
proposed, we might be carried clear off the reef into the
lagoon beyond, for we were opposite a sunken patch, upon
which there was more water than at other places. Failing
of this, the boat would inevitably be dashed to pieces ; but
still, if not bruised and disabled among the rocks, or carried
back by the return waves, we might be able to reach the
smooth water inside the reef, when it would be easy to
swim ashore.

But to most of us, the attempt geemed too desperate to
be thought of, except as a last resort ; and we preferred to
toil at the oars as long as our strength should last, in the
hope of discovering an inlet. Arthur, on whose skill and
judgment we all relied, steered still farther out, and for a
whUe we seemed to make head against the swell and the

current.

For full half an hour longer, we kept up this severe
struggle, that admitted not of an instant's pause or respite.
But then our progress became almost imperceptible, and
every stroke was made more feebly and laboriously than
the last. I could hardly hold the oar in my stiifened fin-
gers. Still no breaJs was to be seen in the long line of

OUR ISLAND HOME. Il7

surf wliich seemed to iLem ia the islandj extending like a
white wall, of uniform height, far as the eye could reach,
on either hand. I had read of islands, like that of Eimeo,
completely encircled by coral reefs, with but a single gate-
way by wliich they were accessible. What if this were
such an one, and the only entrance, miles from the spot
where we were toiling for our lives ! The conviction that
we must risk the chance of success in an attempt to land
upon some ledge of the reef, was forcing itself upon all our
min*ls, when Max, trembling with eagerness, pointed to
what appeared to be an opening through the surf, nearly
opposite us ; there was a narrow space where tl\e long
waves, as they rolled towards the shore, did not seem to
encounter the obstacle over which they broke with such
violence on both sides of it, and the swell of the ocean met
the placid waters of the lagoon, without any intervening
barrier. Through this gap, the shore of the island could
be seen, down to the water's edge.

Arthur hastily made a bundle of the mast and gaff, and
placing it within Johnny's reach, told him to cling to it, in
case of accident. Then, calling upon us to pull steadily, he
steered directly for the inlet. As we neared it, the noise
of the surf became almost deafening : the huge rollers, as
they thundered against the perpendicular wall of coral,
rising abruptly from the depths of the sea, sent up a
column of foam and spray, twelve or fifteen feet into the
air. When just within the entrance, the spectacle was
grand and appalling. But the danger, real or apparent,
was soon over : with a firm hand, and steady eye, Arthur
guided the boat along the centre of the narrow pass, and
in a moment we bad glided from the scene of fierce com-
motion without the reef, into one of perfect tranquillity and
repose. A do^eu strokes seemed to have placed us in a

118 OUn ISLAND HOME.

new world. Involuntarily we rested on our oars^ and gazed
around us in silence.

From the inner edge of the reef, to the broad white
beach of the island, a space of perhaps half a mile, spread
the clear expanse of the lagoon, smooth and unruffled as
the surface of an inland lake. Half-way between the reef
and the shore, were two fairy islets, the one scarcely a
foot above the water, and covered with a green mantle of
low shrubs ; the other, larger and higher, and adorned by
a group of graceful young cocoa-nuts.

The island itself was higher, and bolder in its outlines
than is usual with those of coral formation^ which are
generally very low, and without any diversity of surface.
Dense groves clothed that portion of it opposite to us,
nearly to the beach, giving it at that hour, a somewhat
gloomy and forbidding aspect.

As we surveyed this lovely, but silent and desolate
landscape, the doubts and apprehensions which we 2iad
before experienced began ouce more to suggest themselves ;
but they were dissipated by the cheerful voice of Arthur,
calling upon us to pull for the shore. He steered for the
larger of the two islets, and when, as the boat grated upon
the coral tops beside it, we threw down the oars, the
streno*th which had liitherto sustained us, seemed suddenly
to fail, and we could scarcely crawl ashore. The last scene
of effort and danger, had taxed our powers to the utter-
most, and now they gave way. I was so feeble, that I
could hardly avoid sinking helplessly upon the sand. With
tine impulse we kneeled down and returned thanks to Him
frho had preserved us through all the strange vicissitudes
of the last few days. "We next began to look round in
eearch of snch means of refreshment as the spot might

afford,

OtTR ISLAND HOME. Hi)

The cocoa-palms upon the islet, though far from havhi^
attained their full growth (few of them exceeding twelve

feet in height,) bore abundantly, and we easily procured as
much of the fruit as we needed. Tearing off the outer
husk, and punching a hole through the shell, which in the
young nut is so soft that this can be done with the finger,
we drank off the retreshmg liquor with which it is filled ;
then breaking it open, the half-formed, jelly-like kernel,
furnished a species of food most nutritious and agreeable,
and probably the best adapted to our half-famished con-
dition.

Hunger and thirst being appeased, our next care was to
make some arrangement for passing the night more com-
fortably than could be done in the boat. Selecting a clear
space in the centre of the group of young cocoa-nuts, we
proceeded to make a rude tent, by fixing two of the oars
upright in the groimd, tying the mast across their tops and
throwing the sail over it, the ends being then fastened to
the ground at a convenient- distance on each side.

Finding that the bare ground would make a rather hard
couch, though far less so than we had lately been accus-
tomed to, Morton proposed that we should bring a load of
leaves from the neighbouring shore to spread upon it.
He and I accordingly rowed over to the mainland, and
collected in the grove near the beech, a boat-load of the
clean dry foliage of the paudanua and hibiscus, which made
excellent elastic beds. Johnny watched our departure as
though he considered this an exceedingly rash and adven-
turous enterprise, and he seemed greatly relieved at our
safe return. It was now past midnight, and after hauling
the boat well up on the shore, we laid down side by side
and were very soon aslopp,

120 TiiK KXrLouiNG ExraDiTiojr.

OHAPTER XXII,

THE EXPLORING EXPEDITION

BIDLO— PEAllL-SIIETJi nEACII — A WARLIKE COLONY — AN

INVASION BEPELLED.

"They linger tl)ere wliile weeks and months go by,
And hold their hope, tho' weeks and months are past;
And still at morninrj round the farthest sky.
And still at eve, tlieir eaj^er glance is east,
If there they may behold the far-off mast
Arise, for which they have not ceased to pray.'"

For a number of days we remained upon the islet where
we had first landed, seldom visiting even the adjacent
shore. During this time we subsisted upon cocoa-nuts
and a small species of shell-fish, resembling mussels, which
we obtained in abundance from the ledges of the neigh-
bouring reef, and which the little native told us, were used
as a common article of food among his own people. AVe
had reason to feel grateful that •svhile we were as feeble
and incapable of exertion as we found ourselves for some
days, food could be so readily procured. It was also
fortunate that during this period the weather continued
remarkably fine and mild, with no perceptible variations
of temperature ; for I have little doubt that in the reduced

and exhausted condition in which we then werCi iVBd

THE EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 121

being without any effectual shelter, two or three days of
bad weather would have cost some of us our lives. The
nights were dry and mild, and no dew seemed to fall upon
the islet : thanks to this genial weather, and to abundance
of nourishing food, we began rapidly to recover strength.

Some time passed before we thought of making any
attempt to penetrate or explore the island. "We were,
naturally, very reluctant to admit even to ourselves, the
probability that our stay upon it was to be of any long
duration ; and we did not therefore feel as much inte.^est
in its character and resources as we should otherwise have
done. All our thoughts and hopes ran in one channel.
"We looked for the coming of a ship to rescue us from our
dreary position ; and every morning and evening, at least,
and generally many times a day, some one of us climbed
into the tuft of an inclining palm, to take a careful survey
of that portion of the ocean, which could be seen from our
side of the island. The thought of acting in any respect
as though the lonely spot where we now found ourselves
was destined to be our permanent abode, was in fact too

painful and repugnant to our feelings to be willingly en-
tertained ; we were content, therefore, to provide for our
daily wants as they arose, without anticipating or pre-
paring for the future.

A few days passed in this unvaried and monotonous
routine, seemed in reality a long period ; recent occur-
rences began to assume the vagueness of things that had
happened years ago. I remember particularly, that in
looking back at the dreadful scenes of the mutiny, and our
subsequent sufferings at sea, the whole seemed unreal, and
more like a horrible dream, than an actual part of our past
experience.

We soon found that this inert and aimless mode of

122 THE EXPLORING EXPEDITION.

living — this state of passive expectation, while awaiting
the occurrence of an event which we conld do nothing to
procure or hasten, was a most miserable one : though our
physical strength was in a great measure recruited, there
was no increase of cheerfulness. Except when engaged in
procuring food, or making our daily surveys of the ocean
(which was all our occupation,) we were dispirited and
listless,

Arthur perceived the evil of this state of things, and
set himself to devising a remedy.

We had been at the island about two weeks, when he
proposed, one morning, that we should go over to the
main-land and commence a search for water, making an
excursion a little way into the interior, if it should prove
necessary.

Max objected to this, saying that we had no need of
watei', since we could, without doubt, obtain cocoa-nut
milk as long as we should be obliged to remain upon the
island, and that by going into the interior, out of sight
of the ocean, we might lose an opportunity of being
rescued.

To this, Arthur replied, that the exclusive use of cocoa-
nut milk was considered very unwholesome, and was
supposed to be the cause of certain dropsical complaints,
common among the natives of many of the Pacific islands ;
that besides, it was by no means certain that a supply oi'
it could be obtained throughout the year. He finally
suggested the possibility that our stay on the island might
be longer than we anticipated, in which case its resources,
and the means of subsistence which it afforded, would be
matters of great interest to us. In regard to the danger
which Max seemed chiefly to fear, he said that we should
seldom altogether lose sight of the ocean, but might, on

THE EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 123

the contrary, obtain a wider view of it from other parts of
the island. I warmly seconded Arthur's proposal, for I
perceived the probable beneficial effects of effort, or occu-
pation, of almost a:ay kind. Morton also was decidedly
in favour of it ; and Johnny, who had recovered strength
and spirits wonderfully within the last few days, was quite
enthusiastic for the excursion. He calculated confidently
upon our discovering a creek of fresh water, full of fishea
and lobsters, and cited the history of the Swiss family
Robinson, in support of the reasonableness of these expect-
ations ; declaring that for lis part, he could not see why
we might not count upou equal good fortune with them.
Browne seemed indifferent about the matter. The little
native (whose name, upon Arthur's authority, I shall write
" Eiulo," though " looloo," comes nearer to the sound, as
he himself pronounced it,) sha' ed in Johnny's delight in
prospect of the expedition ; indeed, the two had already
become the best friends in the world, notwithstanding the
difficulty of communicating with one another, and seemed
to harmonize in every thing. The excursion was accord-
ingly determined upon, and this being so, there was nothing
to prevent our setting out at once.

Morton proposed that, instead of undertaking to pene-
trate into the interior, we should keep along the shore to
the northward, as by that means some idea might be gained
of the extent of the island; and since any considerable
spring or stream must find its way to the sea, we should
also be more likely to discover water, than by pursuing
the other course. Alouij the southern shore, the land was
lower and less uneven than in the opposite direction, and
held forth a slighter prospect of springs or streams. The
difficulty of holding a straight course through the forest,

where we should be without any means of ascertaining the

124 THE EXFLOPaNG EXPEDITION.

points of the compasSj was a considei'ation of great weight,
and Morton's plan was at last adopted, as being upon the
whole the best.

The sun was not more than half an hour high, when
we pushed off from the shore of the islet, and rowed over
towards the main-land. The morning was line and clear,
and either the fresh, bracing aea-airj or the stir and ex-
citement of setting out upon our expedition, had an
exhilarating influencej for we gradually became quite
cheerful, and even animated ; and the faces of my com-
panions began to brighten up with more of the old familiar
expression, than I had seen there for many a day.

The merest breath of a breeze just stirred the crisp
leaves of the palms upon the neighbouring shore ; the tiny
wavelets rippled softly upon the snowy, shell-spangled
beacli, or, out in the lagoon, danced and sparkled in the
sunlight; still further out, and just beynd the barrier that
fenced iu this quiet and secluded scene from the open
ocean, we could sec the huge blue rollers with their foam-
ing crests surging high into the air ; and the heavy boom-
ing of the surf, as it thundered upon the reef, might be
heard for miles around, amid the prevailing silence- Be-
yond this again, stretched away to the horizon, the blue,
swelling arch of the ocean — a clear, deep, intense blue, con-
trasting beautifully with the paler blue of the sky, against
which it was relieved, and with the emerald expanse of
the lagoon.

Browne gazed about him with more interest than I
had yet seen him manifest in any thing since we had
reached the island. He inhaled the fresh morning air
with the appearance of actual relish and enjoyment, and
at last, to my surprise (for Max had accused him, not
without some reason, of having been the most lugu-

tttE EXI'LOklKG EXPEDITIO!^. 12o

brums of our party,) he began to sing to a brlak axiu
cheerful tune —

" O, liappy days of hope and rest

Sliall dawn on sorrow's dreary night,
Though grief may be an evening' guest,

Yet joy shall come with morning light I
The light of smiles shall beam again,

From lids that now o'erflow with tearSj
And weary hours of woe and pain,

Are earnests of serener years."

" Well," said he, as he finished his song, " this may be a
desert island, but I will defy iiny one to gainsay that the
morning is deliciouSj and the scene a right lovely one."

*' I am glad you begin to wake up to it," said Morton,
" it looks very much as it has at this hour for ten days
past."

" No, no," protested Bi'owne, " this bright, clear atmos-
phere make a very great difference in the appearance of
things : we have had no such mornings as tliis."

"I wish you could manage to enjoy it," said Max,
" without missing every other stroke, and digging me so
unmercifully in the back with your oar-handle ; if you
can't, I must ask you to change seats with me, and let me
take the bow-oar,"

"How natural and refreshing that sounds 1" cried Mor-
ton, laughing; " it is a sure token that prospects are
brightening, and serious dangers are over, when we find
ourselves again in a condition to scold about trifles."

" It isn't such a trifle, to be thumped and ra<auled with
the butt of an oar, as I have been all tlie while Browne
was singing, and rhapsodizing, and going into ecsfcaciea
about the beauty of the morning; which is just such
another as we have had ever since we have been here ; all
the difference being in his feelings, which happen to be a

126 THE EXfi.vlii.VO £XPED!fIOJ?.

shade or two less doleful than usualj and so cause thing*
to look brighter."

"Perhaps you would have me believe," answered Browne,
" that the sun will invariably shine when I chance to be in
good spirits, and that a thunder-storm would be the na-
tural consequence of my having a' fit of the blues 1 "

"I should be sorry if that were the case," replied Max,
" as we should then be sure to have a large average of
bad weather."

" This excursion reminds me of our school-days," said Ar-
thm*; "it almost seems as though we were once more starting
off together, on one of our Saturday rambles, as we have so
often done on fine summer and autumn mornings at home."

" I think I shall never forget those forays through the
woods," said Morton, " over hill and hollow, in search of
nuts, or berries, or wild-grapes, or meadow-plums — the
fishing and swimming in summer, the snow-balling, and
sledding, and skating, in winter ! What an innocent and
happy set of urchins we were then!"

" Keally," said Max, laughing, " to hear you one would
suppose that we were now a conclave of venerable, grey-
haired sages, scarcely able to remember the time when we
were children, and so full of wisdom and experience, that
we had long ago ceased to be ' innocent and happy.' "

" Without professing to be so wise or experienced, as
to be very unhappy on that account," returned Morton,
"I suppose I may say that I am old enough, and suffi
ciently changed since those days, to feel, as I now look back
upon them with a sigh, their peculiar happiness, so unlike
any thing that after-life affords."

" How singular it is," said Browne, " that yon four

who were playmates when children, should have happened
to keep together so long."

THE EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 127

"And still (iud ourselves toijether on an isluud in the
Pacific OceaHj thousands of miles from home," aaded
Arthur.

"After quitting school," continued Browne, '* I never
met with any of my comrades there. Of all the mates
with whom I used on the Saturday half-holydays, to go
gathering hips and haws, or angling in the Clyde, I have
not since come in contact with one."

" It don't seem at all like Saturday to me," said Johnny,
who for some minutes past had appeared to have some-
thing on his mind, as to the expediency of communicating
which he was undecided ; " I was afraid that it was Sun-
day, every thing is so still ; but I hope it is not, for Arthur
would not think it right to start upon an exploring expe-
dition on Sunday, and so it would be put off."

" Truly," said Browne, " that is extremely flattering to
the rest of us. Do you think we are all heathens, except
Arthur? I, for one, have no notion of becoming a savage,

because I am on a desert island ; I shall go for maintain-
ing the decencies of Christianity and civilization."

" Does any one know what day it really is ? " inquired
Morton.

Max said he believed it was Monday. Arthur thought
it was Wednesday, and added that he had memoranda,
from which he had no doubt lie could fix the day with
certainty.

*'It was on Friday," said Max, "that the mutiny took
place, and that we got to sea in the boat."

"Yes," said Arthui', "and it was on "Wednesday night,
I think, five days afterwards, that we landed here."

" Five days ! " cried Max. " Do you mean to say that
we were but five days at sea before reaching the island 1"

"I think that is all," replied Arthur, "though the time

128 TliE EXPtORlKG EXFEblTIO^.

certainly seems muck longer. Then, if my calculatioli is
correcfcj we have been here just two weeks to-day, so that
this is "Wednesday. But/* continued he, "as our heavenly
Father has thus guided our little bark safe through this
wilderness of waters, let us celebrate the day of our land-
ing on this * Canaan,' by making it our first Sabbath, and
our grateful voices shall every seventh day, from this, be

lifted up in praise and thanksgiving for the mercy thus
vouchsafed to us."

While this conversation was going on, we reached the
shore. Johnny scrambled eagerly to the bow, anxious to
be the first to land, and he attained this object of his ambi-
tion, by jumping into the water nearly up to his waist,
before the boat was fairly beached. Then, after gazing
around him a moment with exclamations of wonder and
admiration, he suddenly commenced running up and down
the wide, firm beach, gathering shells, with as much zeal
and earnestness, as though he was spending a holiday by
the sea-side at home, and could tie up these pretty curi-
osities in his handkerchief, and run back with them in
five minutes to his fat>'er's house. There was certainly
some ground for Johnny's admiration ; just at the spot
wliere we had landed, the shore was thickly strewn, in a
manner which I had never before seen equalled, with va-
rieties of the most curious and beautiful shells. They

were of all sizes, and of every conceivable shape and
colour. The surfaces of some were smooth and liighly
polished; others were scolloped, or fluted, or marked witli
wavelike undulations. There were little rice and cowry
shells ; mottled tiger shells ; spider shells, with their long,
sharp spikes; immense conchs, rough, and covered with
great knobs on the outside, but smooth and rose-lipped
within, and of many delicate tuea. There were some that

THE EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 129

resembled gigantic snail shells, and others shaped like the
cornucopias, used to hold sugar-plums for children. Ono
speciesj the most remarkable of all, was composed of a
substance, resembling mother-of-pearl, exquisitely beauti-
ful, but very fragile, breaking easily, if you but set foot
on one of them : they were changea^jle in colour, being
of a dazzling white, a pearly blue, or a delicate pale
green, as viewed in different lights. Scattered hare and
there, among these deserted tenements of various kinds
of shell-fish, were the beautiful exuviae and skeletons of
star-fish, and sea-eggs ; while in the shallow wat^r, nui:;.er-
ous living specimens could be seen moving lazily about^
Among these last, I noticed a couple of sea-porcupines,
bristling with their long, fine, flexible quills, and a.n enor-
mous conch crawling along the bottom witli his house or,
his back, the locomotive power being entirely out of
siglit.

Johnny seemed for the moment to have forgotten every
thing else, in the contemplation of these treasures; and it
was not until Arthur reminded him that there was no
one to remove or appropriate them, and that he could get
as niariy as he wanted at any time, that he desisted from
his Avork. and reluctantly consented to postpone making a

collection for the present.

Having drawn the boat high up on the bead;, and
armed ourselves with a cutlass apiece (Johnnv taking
possession of the longest one of the lot,) we couimenced
our march along the shore, to the right, without furili'jr
delay.

We had by this time scarcely a remaining doubt tliat

the island was uninhabited, No palm-thatoh ad huts

occupied the open spaces, or crowned the little eminences

that diversified its windward sidej no wreaths of smoke

I

130 THE EXPLORING EXPET>ITION.

could be seen rising above the tops of tlie groves; no
canoeSj full of tattooed savages, glided over the still waters
■within the reef; and no merry troops of bathers pursued
their sports in the surf. There was nothing to impart
life and animation to the scene, but the varied evolutions
of the myriads of sea-fowl, continually swooping, and
screaming around us. With this exceptioUj a silence like
that of the first Sabbath brooded over the island, which
appeared as fresh, and as free from every trace of the pre-
sence of man, as if it had newly sprung into existence.

"With the continued absence of every indication of in-
habitants our feeling of security had increased to such an
extent, that even Johnny ventured somethnes to straggle
behind, or to run on before, and occasionally made a hasty
incursion into the borders of the grove, though he took
care never to be far out of sight or hearing of the main
body. Soon after starting, we doubled a projecting pro-
montory, and lost sight of the boat and the islet. Tho
reef bent round to the north, preserving nearly a uniform
distance from the shore, and was without any break or
opening.

The forest, in most places, extended nearly to the beach,
and was composed chiefly of hibiscus, pandanus, and cocoa-
nut trees, with here and there a large pisonia, close to the
lagoon. One gigantic specimen of this last species, which
we stopped a moment to admire, could not have been less
than twenty feet in girth. Max, Morton, Arthur, and
myself, could not quite span it, taking hold of hands, and
Johnny had to join the ring, to make it complete. For
several hours we continued our journey pretty steadily,
encountering no living thing, except tern, gannets, and
other sea-birds, and one troop of gaudy little paroquets,
glittering in green, and orange, and ci^imson. These paro-

THE EXrii-ORING EXPEDITION. 131

quets were tlie ouly land-birda we saw during tlve day.
INIax 2">i'oiio^iiiced them "frights," because of their large
hooked billSj and harsh discordant cries. They certainly
gave Johnny, a terrible "fright," and indeed startled ns
all a little, by suddenly taking wing, with loud, hoarse
screams, from a hibiscus, beneath which we were resting,
without having observed that they were perched over
our heads.

When it was near noon, and we had travelled, as we
supposed, making allowance for delays and deviations,
some six or eight miles, the character of the shore sud-
denly changed. The white, shelving beach, and the
dense groves meeting it near the water, now disappeared,
and were succeeded by an open strip of land, bordering
the lagoon, strewed with huge, irregular fragments of
coral rock, and seamed with gullies. The line of the
forest here receded some distance from the shore, leaving
a broad rounded point, embracing a large area of low and
barren ground, covered thinly with a growth of atimted
shrubs, and a few straggling, solitary looking trees. The
lagoon was at this point quite shallow, and low rocks and
coral patches appeared above the surface, at short distances
apart, nearly to the centre of the channel. The reef
opposite, was entirely under water, and its position was
indicated only by a line of breakers. A large portion ot
the point, comprising several acres, was covered with the
rude nests of various aquatic birds. Many of these nesta

were occupied even, at that hour, and the birds seemed in

no wise alarmed, or even disturbed by our approach.
When we came very close to any of them, they would survey
us with an air half angry, and half inquisitive, stretching
out their long necks, and screwing their heads from side to
side, so as to obtain a view of us first with one eye, am?

1:32 THE EXPLOIIIXG EXl'KUITU'X.

tlieu with the other; this seeming to be considered nKlis-
jjensable to a complete and satisfactoiy understanding of
our character and intentions. After a thoroucrh scrutiny,
they -would resume their former appearance of stupid
indifference, as though we were creatures altogether too
unimportant to merit further notice. They all, without
exception, seemed perfectly tame and fearless, and quite
ready to resent any infringement xipon their rights.

Johnny, "whilo inspecting too closely the nest of one of
them, curiously constructed of long stiff reeds, resembling
rods of steel, suddenly received, as a rebuke for Ids im-
pertinence, a blow from the wing of the offended owner,
which laid him sprawling upon his back.

Notwithstanding this severe lesson, the gentle and
amiable aspect of a largo white bird, so far reassured Iitui,
that he ventured to make some friendly advances, where-
upon he got so severely pecked, that he at once gave up
all further attempts at familiarity with any of them. This
harvsh treatment, in fact, so disgusted Johnny with tlie
^vhole race of sea-birds, and so impaired his faith in thci r
j.unocent and inoffensive looks, that he declared ho would
never have any thing more to do with them, " since that
I'eautiful white bird had bitten him so savagely, when he
only offered to stroke its neck."

Some of these bird^ were very large and strong; iu
several of the unoccupied nests I saw eggs, as large as
those of the duck: they were of diflerent colours, some of
them prettily speckled or mottled, but most were of an ash
colour, or a whitish brown. Eiulo pointed out two kinds,
which he said were highly prized for food, and which, a3
we afterwards found, were, in fac*-, nearly equal to the
eggs of the domestic duck.

The heat had b^'' this time become exceedingly unctm*

The exploring exmidition, 13s

fortable, and we concluded to halt until it sLould aba-te a
little, at the first convenient and pleasant spot. Leaving
tlie shore, which, besides being unsheltered from the sun,
was so rugged with crevices and gullies, and great irregu-
lar blocks of coral, as to be almost impassable, we entered
the borders of the wood, and took a short cut across the
point. Johnny, in imitation of the desert islanders of Van
story-books, desired to give appropriate names to all the
interesting or remarkable localities with whieh we becam«
acquainted. He had already christened the little island
on which we had first landed, "Palm Islet," and the spot
upon the opposite shore, abounding in brilliaut shells, had,
from that circumstance, received the impromptu name of
" Pearl-shell Beach." He now proposed to call the point,
" Cape Desolation," fi'om its waste and foz-biddiug aspect ;
but finally fixed upon •' Sea-bird's Pointy" as being more

ap2:)ropriate, the birds having, in fact, taken possession of
nearly its entire area, which, judging from the warlike
spirit they had displayed, they were likely to hold against
all coiners. Having crossed the point and reached the
lagoon again, we found that the shore resumed its former
character. The forest again extended nearly to the beach,
but it was more open, and not so thicldy wooded as before,
and the trees were of a finer growth, and in much greater
variety; many of them being of kinds unknown to any of
us. We had not proceeded far, after regaining the beach,
when we espied Just such a resting-place as we were in
search of.

134 CASTiai: uilJm

CnAPTEH XIV.

CASTLE IHLL.

THE N00.\1>AK HALT — A f'llABMING ItlCS IINU-I'LAC']: — U£ATlj£l>l
ttlvlLL VbR»;Uri CIVILIZATION AND TJIK STOKV-BoOKS.

*• Beneath the tropic ra^s,
Wliere not a shadow breaks the boundless blaze,
Karth from her lap pex-ennial verdure pours,
Ambrosial fruits, and amaranthine flowers."

A LITTLE way befoi'e us rose a smooth and gentle ao
clivityj crowiied by a clump of majestic trees, which pro-
mised to afibrd a deeper aud more grateful shade thau any
nther spot in sight, and we accordingly made towards it.
On a nearer aj^proach it proved to be more elevated than
had at first appeai'ed, and in order to reach the top, we
were obliged to scale a long series of natural terraces,
almost as regular as though they had been the work of art.
!From this spot there was a fine view of the shore, the
lagoon, and the ocean, to the north and west. The trees
that covered the level space at the summit of the ascent,
were varieties of a much larger growth than those gene-
rally found on the low alluvial strip of land bordering the
iagoon. Conspicuous among them, were the majestic can-
dlenut, with its white leaves and orange-coloured blossoms;
Uie inocarpus, a land of tropical chestnut) and, most mag-

CASTLE UILl.. 135

ziificeut and imposing of all, a sUitely tree, resembling the
magnolia in its foliage and manner of growth, and thickly
covered with large white flowers, edged with a delicate
pink. The ground was level as a parlour floors and free
from brushwood or undergrowth of any kind, except a
few long-leaved, frAgi-aoxt ferna, and in pla«es a thick cfirpet
of flowering vines and creepers. The trees were stationed
at such distances apart, as to compose a fine open grove,
and yet close enough to unite in one rich mass of foliage
overhead, impenetrable to the rays of the iAun, and creat-
ing a sombre and almost gloomy shade, evet d aring the
fiercest glare of noonday. In one spot, a number of gigan-
tic trees were grouped nearly in a circle. Their dense

tops formed a leafy dome, through which, not the smallest
patch of sky was visible. Around their huge, but shapely,
stems, which one might look upon as forming tlie pillars
of a natural temple, a number of flowering parasites
twined in luxuriant wreaths, and hung in festoons from
the xower branches. A considerable space around the
boles of some of these trees was completely covered by an
elegant species of creeping plant, with fine cut foliage of a
deKcate pea-green, and large clusters of scarlet blossoms,
about which, swarms of brilliantly-coloured insects, oi the
butterfly tribe, were hovering.

" Here we may actually, and not figuratively, indulge in
the luxury of ^ reposing on the beds of flowei-s,' " said Max,
throwing Mmself down at the foot of a towering candle-
nut, amid a soft mass of this vegetable carpetiug. AI]
were sufliciently tired by the long march of the morning
to appreciate the luxury, and our entire company was
soon stretched upon the ground, in attitudes in which
comfort rather than grace, was consulted.

"What do you think of this, Johnny]" said jMrix, " it

ol

136 CAStLE UlLL.

Btrikes me, as being quite romantic and like the stoiy-
books — almost up to the Arabian Nights. If the history
of our adventures should ever be written, (and why

shouldn't it be ?) here's material for a flowery passage.
Just see how this would sound, for instance : — * And now
our little band of toil-worn castaways (that's us), weary
anil faint with their wandei-iiigs througli the desert (that's
Cape Desolation, or Sea-bird's Point, or whatever Johnny
in his wisdom shall conclude to call it), arrived at a little
oasis (this is it), a green spot in the wilderness, blooming
like the bowers of Paradise, where stretched at ease, upon
^>ed3 of bright and odoriferous flowers, they reposed from
the fatigues of their journey.' There, that sentence, I
flatter myself, is equal in harmony and effect, to the open-
ing one in the history of Passelas, Prince of Abyssinia —
tliere's my idea of the style in which our adventures should

■

be recorded."

As we had taken no refreshment since setting out in the
morning, we now began to feel the need of it. At the
edge of the eminence, on the southern side, grew several
large cocoa-nut trees, fully three feet in diameter at the base,
and rising to the height of seventy or eighty feet at the
very least. Eiulo was the only one of our number, who
would liave dreamed of undertaking to climb either of them;
he, however, after finding a young jnirau, and providing
himself with a strip of the bark, fastened the ends about
his ankles, and then firmly clasping the trunk of one of
the trees with his hands and feet alternately, tlie latter be-
ing as wide apart as the ligature would permit, he vaulted
rapidly and easily upward, and soon gained the dizzy height
where the nuts grew. Once fairly perched in the tuft of
the tree among the stems of the enormous leaves, where
he looked scarcely larger than a monkey, he quickly sup-

CASTLE niLL. l.'i*

plied US with as many cocoa-uuts as we could put to proF^eiit
use. Loading ourselves with the fruit, we returned to our
first resting-place, and after piling the nuts in a heap, re-
clined around it, after the manner of the ancients at their
banquets, while we enjoyed our repast. Though all tliese
nuts were gathered from the same tree, and, in fact, from
the same cluster, some of them contained nothing but
liquid, the kernel not having yet begun to form, and in these
the milk was most abundant and delicious : in others, a soft,
jelly-like, transparent pulp, delicate and well-flavoured, had
commenced forming on the inner shell : iu others, again,
this pulp had become thicker and firmer, and more like tlie

r

kernel of the imported nut, the milk having diminished in
quantity, and lost in a great measure its agreeable taste.

flohnny, after having tried all the different varieties w'ith
the zeal of an epicure, declared that he was beginning to
get sick of cocoa-nuts : he wondered wliether we should have
to live entirely on cocoa-nuts and shell-fish, and whether
tliere was not some bread-friiit on the island.

*' If there is," said Browne, " it will be of no use to us,
unless we can find means to make a fire, and cook it."

" ilake a fire 1" cried Johnny, " that's easy enough — all
we've got to do, is just to get two dry sticks and rub them
together briskly for a few minutes. None of the ship-
wrecked people I ever read of, had any trouble about that.'*

" How lucky we are," cried Max, gravely, " iu having
some one with us, who has read all about all the desert
islanders that have ever lived, and can tell us just what to
do in an emergency ! Please get a couple of those diy sticks
which you speak of, Johnny, and show us how unfortunate

castaways in our condition, are accustomed to kindle a

fire."

Without aeeming, in the simplicity of liis hear^, to

138 CASTLE HILL,

suspect for a moment the perfect good fuitli and sincerit v of
Max's compliment, Johnny commenced casting about for
some sticks or pieces of wood, witli which to make the
experiment. He soon found a fallen branch of the inocar-
pus, well baked by the sun, and which had long lost every
particle of moisture. Breaking it into two pieces, he
began to rub them together with great zeal, and apparently
with perfect faith in the result : gradually he increased
his exertions, manifesting a commendable perseverance,
until the bark began to fly, and the perspiration to
stream down his face; but still there was no fire nor any
sign of it.

Meantime, Max encouraged him to proceed.

" Keep it a-going, Johnny ! " he cried, " if you stop for
lialf a second, you lose all your labour ; only persevere,
and you're sure to succeed ; none of the shipwrecked
people you ever read of, had any trouble about it, you
know."

But Johnny concluded that the sticks could not be of
the right kind, and notwithstanding Max's exhortations,
he at last gave up the attempt.

Morton, however, not discouraged by this unfortunate
result, nor by Max's disposition to make fun of the expe-
riment, expressed a belief that the thing could be done,
and after preparing the sticks by cutting away one of
tlie rounded sides of each, he went to work with an ear-
nestness and deliberation, that caused us to augur favour-
ably of his success. After nearly ten minutes powerful
and incessant friction, the sticks began to snioke, and
Johnny, tossing his cap into the air, gave an exulting
"Hurrah!"

But his rejoicing proved premature, for, though tlia
wood fairly smoked, that was the iitmost that could be

CASTI.E HILL, 139

attaiued, and Mortou was obliged to desist, without hav-
ing produced a flame.

Eiulo had been watching these proceedings with great
interest ; and he now intimated by signs that he would
make a trial. Taking the sticks, he cut one of them to a
point, with Arthur's knife, and made a small groove along
the flat surface of the other, which lie then placed with
one end upon the ground, and the other against his breast,
the grooved side being upwards. Placing the point of
the first stick in the groove, he commenced moving it up
and down along the second^ pressing them hard together.
The motion was at first slow and regular, but increased
constantly in rapidity. By-and-bye the wood began to
smoke again, and then Eiiilo continued the operation with
greater vigour than ever. At length a fine dust, which
liad collected at the lower extremity of the groove, actually
took fire; Arthur quickly inserted the edge of a sun-dried
cocoa-nut leaf in the tiny flame, and it was instantly
in a blaze.

"Bravo!" shouted Max, "that's what I consider a de-
cided triumph of heathenism over civilization, and the
story-books."

Morton now seized the sticks again, and imitating
Eiulo's method of proceeding, succeeded in kindling them,
though it took him a considerable time to do it: thus it
was satisfactorily established, by actual experiment, that
we could obtain a fire whenever we should want one.

The question was now raised, whether we should con-
tinue our exploration further that day, or remain where
we were until the following morning ; and as the heat was
still very oppressive, and we were sufficiently tired already,
the latter course was unanimously determined upon.

Johnny liked the spot which we occupied so well, that

140 CAStLE HILL.

lie proposed "building a luit" upon it, and making It our
head-quarters, as long as we should have to stay on the
island. It was certainly a pleasant site ; and, command-
ing as it did a wide view of the ocean, vessels could be
descried at a greater distance, and signalled with a surer
prospect of attracting notice, than from any other locality
yet known to us. From tlic wooded summit, the land
descended on every side — towards the shore in a series o.'
terraces — towards the interior in one smooth and con-
tinuous slope, after which it again rose in a succession ot
densely wooded eminences, irregular and picturesque in
their outlines, and each higher than the last as you pro-
ceeded inland ; the farthest of them towering up in strong
relief against the south-eastern sky. The various shades
of the masses of diffei'ent kinds of foliage with which these
heights were clothed, fz'om that of the pale-leaved candle-
nut, to the sombre green of the bread-fruit groves, con-
tributed greatly to the pleasing effect of the landscape.
Ou the right, as you looked towards the ocean, lay the flat
tract, occupied by the sea-fowl, and which Johnny had
named after them. At nearly an equal distance on the
ieft, the line of the beach was broken, by what appeared
to be a small grove, or clump of trees, detached from the
main forest, and planted directly on the Hue of the shore.
As we had concluded to suspend our explorations until
the next day, every one was left to his own resources
for the remainder of the afternoon. Johnny having set
Morton at work, to make him a bow, "to shoot birds
with," began to occupy himself in the very important task
of finding an appropriate name for the height, which he
finally concluded to call " Castle Hill," from its regular
shape and bold steep outlines. Max extended himself ou
his back in Mie coolest ncok he could find, and spreading

CASTLE HJLL. 141

)y.B handkerchief over ]jjs face, to protect Jt from the ^.iiidyj
Itut troublesome winged insects whicli haunted tlie spot,
foi'bade any one to disturb him on pain of his liigh dis-
pleasure. Arthur, taking Eiulo with him, proceeded upon a
botanizing tour about the neighbourhood, in the hope of
making some discovery that might prove useful to us.
For my own part, happening to think of the question
which had been started in the morning, as to the day oi
the week, I began to make a retrospect of all that lind
taken place since the fearful night of the mutiny, and to
endeavour to iix the order of subsequent events, so as to
arrive at the number of days we had been at sea, and upon
the island. In the course of these calculations, and while
Browne and myself were discussing the matter, he sug-
gested tlie want of pencil and paper. I found that the
last leaf had been torn from my pocket-book, and tlie rest
were in an equally destitute condition. In this strait, I
remembered having heard Arthur describe the manner
in which the native children had been taught to write in
the missionary schools at Eimeo, the only niaterinls used
being plantain leaves and a pointed stick. I meiitioued
this to Browne, and we forthwith proceeded to experiment
with different kinds of leaves, until at last we found a
large heart-shaped one, \\hich answered our purpose admi-
rably; it was white, and soft as velvet on the under side,
and marks made upon it with the rounded point of a small
stick, were perfectly distinct, showing of a dark green
colour upon a white ground.

Late in the afternoon, Arthur and Eiulo returned from
their tour of examination, having made, as Arthur inti-
mated, some discoveries, of which, in due time, wo should
all reap the benefit. Morton having found a tough and
elastic kind of wood, had shaped a tolerable bow for

142 CASTLK aiLh.

JoJinny, \)ut when it came to providing a, stnnnr, tho re-
sources of both failed. The difficulty being made kuowu
to Eiulo, he volunteered to supply what was wanted, and
went with Johnny and Morton into the adjoining forest to
look for a certain kind of bark, from which to make tlie
required cord.

** There !" said Arthur, when we were left alone together

"how capitally this excursion has worked. How differently
things seem from what they did yesterday, when we were
at the islet perfectly stagnant and stnpld. One would not
take ns for the same people. Only let ns always have
something to do, something to interest and busy oui-selves
aboutj and we need not be very miserable, even on a de^
sert islan*' "

C'ASIPING OfJT. 143

CHAPTER XV.

CAMPING OUT.

k I>R«PERATE KNOAOEMEXT — JDilNNY DISCOVERS AN " OYSTER TREE"
—VAGRANTS, OR KINGS? — A SLEEPING rRESCRlPTION,

" Travellers ne'er did lie,
Though fools at home condemn them : If in Naples,
I shonld report this now, would they believe me?"

About sunset we went down to the beach to bathe.

The trees along the shore were occupied by immense
crowds of exemplary sea-fowl, whose regular and primitive
habits of life had sent them to roost at this early hour.
Notwithstanding their webbed feet, they managed to
jierch securely among the branches, many of which were
so heavily freighted, that they bent almost- to the ground

beneath their load.

Finding a spot where the beach shelved off gradually
into deep water, with a smooth, firm bottom, free from
shells and corallines, we had a refreshing swim. After-
wards, strolling along the shore by myself, I found a large
fish,' beautifully marked with alternate black and yellow

bands, in a shallow, fenced off from the lagoon at low
water, by a coral ridge. The too e.nger pursuit of some of
the smaller tribe of fishes, had probably beguiled him into
this trap, where he had been left by the tide, to fall a
victim, as I confidently reckoned, to his own rapacity.

1 14 CAMPJKG OCT.

All escape into deep water seemed to be prettj^ effectually
cut off, and I looked upon him as already the captive of
my bow and spear ; but fearing lest some of the others
should come up to share the glory of securing so splendid
a prize, I forthwith set about effecting his actual capture.
Rolling my trowsers above my knees, I waded into the
water to drive him ashore ; but I soon found that my task
was not going to prove by any means as easy as I had
anticipated. My intended victim was exceedingly vigour-
0U3 and active, and as ferocious as a pike. He obstinately
refused to be driven at all, and struggled and floundered

as desperately as if he already had a vivid presentiment
of the frying-pan, snapping viciously at my fingers when-
ever I undertook to lay hold of him. To add to the
aggravating features of the case, he seemed to bristle all
over with an inordinate and unreasonable quantity of
fiharj^-pointed fins and spines, which must have been de-
signed by nature as weapons of defence, since there were

certainly more of them than any fish could use to advan-
tage for swimming purposes. I began to suspect that I

had caught a Tartar; but I had now gone too f:ir to back
out with credit : my self-respect wouldn't admit of the
thought. So, taking a short breathing spell, I again
advanced to the attack, somewhat encouraged by per-
ceiving that my scaly antagonist seemed exhausted and

distressed by his recent exertions. His mouth was wide
open, and his gills quivered ; but I was rather uncertain
whether to regard this as a hostile demonstration, or a sign
of pain and fatigue. However, at it we went ; and, after
getting- my hands badly cut by some of the aforesaid
bristling spines and fins, besides being drenched with
•water, and plastered all over with wet sand, which he
splashed about in the Btvuggle. I succeeded in seizing hipa

fittnly by the tai], and throwing him high and dry upou
the beach. I then scooped out a hollow in the sand, a
little above the tide-mark, and filling it with water, pushed
him into it, thus securing him for the present.

Max, Morton, and Browne, who had been practising
climbing cocoa-nut trees, at the edge of the wood, with
very indifferent success, had witnessed, from a disUmce,
the latter part of the "engagement," as Max facetiously
called it ; and they now came up to learn the particulars,
and to inquire '^ whether it was a shark, or a young whalo,

that I had been having such a terrible time with." While
they were admiring my captive, and jocosely condoling
with me on the hard usage which I had received, the
voice of Johnny (who, accompanied by Eiulo, had ven-
tured to stroll off in the direction of the point) was heard,
raised to its highest pitch, as he shouted for us to " come
and see something strange." But it seemed that Ins im-
patience would not permit him to await the result of his
summons, for the next moment he came running towards
us in a state of great excitement, and all out of breath,
crying out that he had "found a tree covered with
oysters," and he had no doubt, there were " lots more of
them."

*' A tree covered with ^c/ioi .?" inquired Browne, dubi-
ously.

" With ousters — with fine, large oystei-s ! " cried Johnny,
"just come and see for yourselves."

" Wonderful island ! productive soil ! " exclaimed Max.,
in mock admiration. " If oysters will take root, and gi'ow
here, I suppose pretty much any thing will : I believe I
will plant my boots to-morrow: they may do for seed, and
are good for nothing else any longer — don't you begin to
think this must be an enchanted island, Johnny ?"

146 CAMPING OUT.

'' 0, you may make fun of it, if you please ; but it's
true : and if you'll come with me, I'll shew you the trees."

" Well/' said Browne, " I am ready for almost any thing
in the way of the marvellous, since having seen a solid and
Bubstantial-Iooking island tui'n into a vapour, and vanish
away before my very eyes. I shall be careful about doubt-
tig any thing, until I get back to some Christian country,

yhere things go on regularly. For the present, I am in
1 state of mind to believe in phoenixes and unicorns — and
^hy not in oyater-trees ? Wlio knows but we have hap-
pened upon a second Prospero's isle ? Lead on, Johnny,
and bring us to this wonderful tree." And Johnny started
off accordingly, followed by Browne and Morton.

In a moment the latter was heard calling out, " I say,
Max ! do you understand conchology ?"

" Yes, enough to tell a bivalve when I see one : should

like to have a 'dozen fried' before me now."

"If a 'dozen raw' will answer, just step this way, and
well accommodate you equal to Florence."

On hastening to the spot, all scepticism as to the " oysters
growing on trees," was speedily removed. A row of man-
groves lined the shore for some distance, each elevated
upon its white pile of protruding and intertwisted roots.
Attached to the branches of these trees, which overhuiig
the water and drooped into it at high tide, were abundance
of fair-sized ovster.s. Lookinn^ down into the water he-
neath the mangroves, I perceived the certain inoications
of an extensive and well-stocked oyster-bed. The bottom
was thickly covered with them, in every stage of growth ;
multitudes being scarcely larger than a sixpence. I could
also see, through the shallow water, an immense number
of little white specks, like drops of spermaceti, scattered
about among them. It was evident, that here was au

CAMPliN'G OCT. 147

iLbuudaiit and unfailing supply of these delicious shell-
fish.

Browne broke off from one of the trees a large br>*^ch,
having half a dozen oysters attached to it, with which he
hat^l oned to confront the unbelieving Max, and flourishing
it iu his ,fa.ce, demanded to know if he was '^convinced
now." Although constrained to admit that they looked
very like oysters, Max oeemed to consider the evidence
of moi*e than one of the senses necessary to afford satis-
factory proof of so extraordinary a phenomenon; and ac-
cordingly proceeded to see how they tasted.

After opening one of the largest (using his cutlass as an
oyster-knife), and making the experiment with due delib-
eration, he announced himself perfectly satisfied.

By the time we had all sufficiently tasted the quality
of the oysters (which were really vex-y good, and well-
flavoured, notwithstanding the unusual position in which
they were discovered), it had become quite dark. Though

the evening was fine, there was not much light, the moon
and stars glimmering faintly through a Soft purple haze,
which, as I had observed since we had been on the island,
generally seemed to fill the atmosphere for a short timo
after sunset, and at a little later hour entirely disappeared,
As we strolled back towards the foot of " Castle Hill,"
Johnny suddenly looked up, and inquired, as if the
thought had just occurred to him, where we were going to
sleep.

"That's a pretty question to ask," said Browne, laugh-
ing, " it implies that we are common vagrants."

" So we are, strictly speaking," answered Max, " we have
no regular means of living, and no fixed place of abode,
and that, I believe, makes us common vagrants, according
to Webster."

148 CAMrjNG OUT.

"Islioiild tliiiik our means of li viug were ^regular* enough
to rescue us from the defiiiition," rc2:)liecl Mortoii; "having
been thus far, cocoa-nuta and mussels every day, and all
day long, and nothing but cocoa-nuts and mussels. I am
glad tliat there is now some prospect of a little more irre-
gularity in future."

" As to our having no fixed habitation or place of abode,"
said Browne, " that does not arise from poverty, or lack of
land — ' the isle is all before us where to choose' — and we are
now on a tour of observation through our extensive
domains, in order to decide upon the finest spot for our
head-quarters. Meantime, for a night or two, we shall
have to be satisfied with *a tent in the green wood, a
home in the grove,' in other words, we shall have to
*camp out,' as the most renowned hunters and soldiers
liave frequently done before us. I'm sure there's no

vagrancy in that. "

"Why," cried Johnny, forgetting for the moment his
anxiety on the score of our quarters for the night, " we
are no mor^ vagrants than Kobinson Crusoe was

* We are monarclis of all we survey,
And oiir realm there is none to dispute/

as he says of himself ■ so that we are much more like kings
than vagrants.'*

" And the sea-birds and fishes," said !Max, " are to be
considered as our subjects, I presume, since we have no
man I'riday, and no goats or poll-parrota to reign over."

*' Yes," said Johnny, " I suppose so ; there are enough
of them too."

"And some very disloyal, rebellious, and stiff-necked
ones among them," added Max, "who ought to be dealt
with as traitors forthwith — that sturdy feathered rebel for

CAMPING OUT. 149

instance, wlio not regarding the inviolability of the royal
person, no longer ago than this morning laid one of our
royal majesties sprawling upon his royal back."

" And that other scaly traitor," added Browne, " who
perversely refused to come out of the water to be cooked,
in accordance with the royal will, and who nearly bit off
the sacred thumb of one of our majesties, in resisting the

i)

)»

royal authority.

"Well, Johnny," said Max, "if we are not actually
kings, we at any rate have some royal blood upon tlie
island. Not to speak of myself, who am descended direct
from * Kaiser Maximilien,' here is Eiulo, who is a real
prince, his fiither being King of the Cannibal Islands, or
some other islands in these seas."

" I wish you wouldn't speak so of Eiulo's father," said
Johnny, warmly, " he is not a cannibal, and I believe he is

a very good man ; I think his islands are near here, and
if we should one day get there, he would treat us kindly,
and let us go home whenever we should have an oppor-
tunity;

"Hilloa !" cried Max, "what has put all that into youi"
head 1 What do you know about Eiulo's father, or his
islands, or where they are ?"

This sudden outburst of Johnny's surprised us all, with
perhaps the exception of Arthur, and we listened with
some interest, as he replied to Max's volley of questions.

" Oh, I have talked with Eiulo about it," he answered,
"mostly by signs ; and he has made me understand that he
believes his home is not far distant — off in that direction
(pointing north), and that ships sometimes stop there ; and
so I have been thinking that if we could only find the way
there, we should have some prospect of getting home at last."

Upon this we became silent and tlioughtful ; nothing

150 CAMPING OUT.

further was said, until Johnny recurred to the question
which he had started a few moments before, and again
asked where we proposed to pass the night.

"Kot in those gloomy woods, I liope," said he, "where
it is so lonely, and the wind and the trees make such
strange noises. I would rather sleep down here upon the
shore; this nice dry, white sand, up where the water never
comes, will make a very good bed.

Thus far, we had passed every night ni)ou the islet, to
which we had now become familiarized and accustomed.
Its small extent, and separation from tlio main-land, gave
it an air of security, which made us feel more at our ease
there at night, than we could among the sombre and un-
explored forests of the larger island, about which we as
yet knew so little. Johnny's timidity was not therefore
unnatural. Indeed, unless I am mistaken, none of us was,
on this first night of our exploration, entirely free from a
vague spirit of insecurity, and of liability to some un-
known danger,

"That will hardly do, Johnny," said Bi'owne, in answer
to his suggestion about taking up our quarters for the night
upon the shore, "a heap of dry pandanus leaves will make
a much more comfortable bed than the hai'd sand. Thu3
I propose to arrange it — we will go up to the top of the
hill where we rested to-day, and lodge there ; our beds of
leaves shall be all in a circle, and Johnny's shall be in the
middle ; and then he won't feel lonesome or afraid, for all
the uncanny noises of the wind and the trees ; knowing
that ho has good friends and true all around him, and par-
ticularly one stout John Browne, who is worth all the rest
together, being a fair match for any thing in this pai*t of
the South Seas ! " and by way of raising Johnny's spirits,
and inspiring him with the greater confidence iu the

CAMHUG OUT. 151

prowess of Lis protector, he flourished his cutlass, and
went scientifically through the broad-sword exercisCj slash-
ing and carving away at his imaginary antagonist, with a
fierceness and vigour wonderful to behold. Having lopped
off an indefinite quantity of airy heads and limbs, he fin-
ished, by reciting with a bold and warlike air—

" Scots wha hae wi* "Wallace bled I
Scots wham Bruce has aften lerll" &o.

This demonstration seemed to produce the desired effect,
and Johnny soon became reassured, and quite reconciled
to "camping out" in the woods.

The evening was so fine, and the gentle breeze setting
in from the ocean was so cool and grateful, after the ex-
cessive heat of the day, that we continued for some time
loitering along the shore. The sea was highly phospho-
rescent ; that is, during the earlier part of the evening,
and before the mist or haze before spoken of cleared np.
The tiny wavelets, as they rippled upon the beach in rapid
succession, sparkled with phosphoric fire, and out in the
lagoon, wherever a coral patch rose to the surface, or the
water was disturbed by any floating object, it gave forth a
clear and brilliant light, and was studded by myriads of
fiery dots and spangles.

At length Johnny began to complain of weariness, and
we scaled the terraced hill, and gathering a large quantity
of clean and well-dried leaves, arranged our beds as Browne

had suggested, beneath the group of noble trees where we
had taken our siesta at noon.

Tlie novelty of our situation, long proved with me an
effectual antidote to fatigue and drowsiness, and I laid
looking up at the moon glimmering through the foliage of
the trees, an hour after the rest seemed to be asleep.

152 CAMPIKG OUT.

Just as I was at last sinking into unconsciousness,
Johnny, sitting up among the leaves in which he was half
burled, inquired softly, "Max, are you awake?" I, spoke
to him, to let him know that he was not alone. " I can^t
get asleep/' said he, " every thing looks so beautiful and
so strange. It seems to me I never saw the moon and
the stars so big and so bright."

** You must keep your eyes shut, and not look at the
moon, if you want to get asleep."

"But the trees keep rustling so; just as if they were
whispering softly to one another ; and then the sound of
the waves on the reef is so sad and mournful, that it sets
me to thinking all sorts of strange things. I wonder
whether there are any wild animals on the island ? " I
assured him that it was quite improbable, and that no
dangerous animals of any kind were ever found on the
islands of the Pacific. This, however, did not seem to
satisfy him entirely, and I began to suspect that his mind
was running on the jackalls, tiger-cats, and hysenas of the
Swiss Family Robinson. A question or two which he pre-
sently asked, showed that I had guessed correctly, and I
hastened to meet the difficultv, bv reminding him that
^ their island (if indeed it was an island at all, and cot %
part of the main-land) was situated near the coast of
New Holland, from which animals might pass over to it
by swimming."

'* Wliy, I thought," said Johnny, " that there were no
wild animals in New Holland, except kangaroos and
opossums : my book of beasts, birds, and fishes, says so."

This was a fact in Natural History which I was not pre-
]>ared to gainsay ; especially Avhen backed by so redoubt-
able an authority as " the book of beasts, birds, and fishes."
For a njoment I ysnj^ f^aken all aback j but being lo^-vthe Xo

CAMPING OUT. 153

give up my little companion a, prey to imaginary jackulls,
tiger-catSj and hyaenas, I rallied again, resolved upon one
more desperate effort for his deliverance.

"Well," said I, "the fact is, we don't know exactly
where the Swiss Family Robinson's island real'y was —
it is altogether uncertain. It may have been neai' Java,
or Ceylon, or the coast of India, in which ease, all those
Asiatic beasts could easily have got there — that is, if the
two places were close enough together. Now we know
that we are somewhere in the middle of the Pacific, a
vast distance from any continent, or any of the great
Indian islands, so that large animals here are out of the
question, unless they have taken a swim of a thousand
miles or so."

This seemed to be pretty decisive ; and I think it settled
the jackalls, tiger-cats, and liygenas, effectually, for Johnny
said no more on the subject, except to reiujirlr, th.it ov«n
if they could swim that distance, they would stand a bad
chance with the sharks and other sea-monsters ; to which
I added, as a final clincher, that in any event they would
be sure to starve on the voyage, unless they should bring

a large supply of provisions along. " Well," said he, after
a minute's silence, " I'm not afraid of any thing ; but some-
how or other I feel very wide awake to-night, and not in
the least sleepy."

■* Shut your eyes," said I, " and think of a great wheel,
whirling round and round, with a regular and even mo-
tion, and never stopping, until you have counted it go
round a hundred times."

Johnny laughed softly to himself, as though pleased
with this device, and was quite still for a minute or two;
then he spoke again,

"It has gone roun^i ^ iiuudred tiraess Init towards tbfl

154 CAiiriNG OUT.

end it gol a-going dreadfully fast ; it would go last in
spite of all I could do.'*

" Never mind the wheel, then," said I, " but think of the
huge lazy S"well3 in a calm, rising and falling, rising and
falling, as they did when we lay rocking in tho boat^ all
those long days and nights, out on the sea."'

*' Well, I'll tx'y — but I don't believe it will be of any

use,"

" Don't look at the moon, and don't speak to me again
— unless for something vei-y particular — and now good
night."

"Goodnight!" and he nestled down among his leaves
again. In a very few minutes the deep and regular breath-
ing of the little patient, proved the efficacy of my sleeping
prescription, and aunonnced that ids troubles for tftat
ui^ht were over.

DOMESTIC RMRAUilASSMENTS. 155

Cn AFTER XVI.

DOMKSTIC EMBARRASSMENTS.

A l»i:BnKT ISIAND liUKAKKAST — PKRSUASIVE RKASOXINrj ItOMANCB

AND Kr.ALlTY — TUK I'RINCK ANT> riUNCF,f-S.

* N'Ovv my co-mates, and brothers in exilo,
Ilath not loner custom made this life more sweet
Than that of painted pomp? Are not these woods
More free from peril than the envious court?
Here feel we but the penalty of Adam,
Tlie seasons' difference; as the icy fanj:^
And churlish chidiiis? of the winter's wind."

The next morning " the Islanders," or some of them, at
lo.ist, were stirring early ; and the first thing that attracted
my attention, on opening my eyes, was a busy group, con-
sisting of Max, Eiulo, and Johnny, gathered round a fire
at a little distance, and engaged in some apparently very
interesting operation. A savoniy smell at the same time
saluted my olfactory organs, and on approaching the
scene of action, to investigate the matter more closely, I
found my finny prize of the preceding evening undergoing
a somewhat primitive style of cookery, of which Max ap-

■oared to be the chief director and superintendent. A
number of large oysters were also roasting in the embers;
and from these last proceeded the grateful and appetizing

jdour referred to.

"Good morning!" cried Max; '*you see we have break-

156 DOMESTIC EMBARRASSMENTS.

fast nearly ready; and a breakfast, too, that will be a
positive luxury, after so long a course of cocoa-nut diet;
how Browne will exult at the sight of it j how his eyes will
open — to say nothing of his mouth! And don't we deserve a
vote of thanks for our early labours for the general good?"

Morton and Browne at this moment emerged from their
respective heaps of leaves, and, after rather more than the
usual amount of yawning and stretching of limbs, came
towards the fire.

" Fee, faw, fo, fum ! " cried Morton, snuffing the agreeable
smell of the cookery in progress, " I trust we're not too
late for breakfast, and that there is something more than
the savour of good victuals left."

" You are in good time," said Johnny, bustling about the
fire with an air of official dignity, "the first bell hasn't
rung yet."

"But why has Shakspeare such a long face?" said Max ;
has camping out caused a reminiscence of rheumatism!"

^' Bad dreams, horrible dreams ! " answered Browne,

shaking his head solemnly, " which came of lying staring
at the moon last night, until I fell asleep:" — then throw-
ing himself into an attitude, he commenced declaiming
with a tragic air —

*" O, I have passed a miserable night,
So full of fearful dreams, of ugly sights,
That as I am a Christian, faithful man,
I would not pass another such a night
Though 'twere to buy a world of Iiappy days,
So full of dismal terror was the time.' "

'* Bravo!" cried Max, applauding furiously, "I lil^e to
Bee that; it's what I call coming out strong under dis-
couraging circumstances. Here are we, six furloi'u cast-
a^iV'ays, on a desert island, somewhere (uo cue knows

Domestic EiiBAiiRASsMENfs. 157

where) in the Pacific Ocean; and, instead of moping, and
sulking, and bemoaning our hard fate, we wake up of a
fine morning, quite bright and cheerful, and one of the six
(or seven, more correctly speaking) goes to work spouting
Shakspeare, carrying us back to old times, and making us
feel (as Morton would say) like ' happy schoolboys again.' "
""What's all this?" cried Arthur, coming forward with a
puzzled air, "what is Max making a speech about? has
he taken the stump as a candidate for the presidency of

the island r*

" He needn't do that," said Browne, " we're not going to
have any presidents, or other republican trumpery here ;
I have formally taken possession of the island in the name
of Victoria ; and it is therefore a colony of Great Britain ;
I shall apply, at the first convenient opportunity, for let-
ters patent, making me colonial governor."

" Tory, monarchist ! " cried Max, " recant at once, or you
sha'n't taste a mouthful of my breakfast."

"Do you think I'll sell my loyalty for a mess of pot-
tiige? Ko, I'm for a well-reg\ilated monarchy: hurrah for
Victoria!"

" Down, with the Britisher ! " cried Johnny, entering
into the spirit of the scene, and tugging at Browne's coat-
tails ; " make him hurrah for the stars and stripes, or else
don't give him any of our oysters ! "

" You're surely not going back to the principles of the
dark ages — ^you won't attack the right of private judg-
ment, and persecute for opinion's sake."

"The right of private judgment, indeed 1" answered
Max, with great contempt. " I hold that no person can
have a right, on any pretence whatever, to entertain erro-
neous opinions on important subjects, affecting the welfare
of mankind. If a man does entertain such opinions, it ia

158 DOMESTIC embahrassments.

tlie duty of those who kuow better to coiiviuce him of hiB
error by the most efiectual arguments at their command.
It is, therefore, my duty to open your eyes to the blessings
of liberal institutions. I have liere (pointing towards the
incipient breakfast) the most powerful means to assist and
quicken your perception of the truth. Shall I not use
those means?"

" The line of argument which you indicate is exceed-
ingly forcible (how delightfully those oysters smell!) I
really think I begin to perceive some of the advantages of
republicanism already."

" With the right of private judgment, properly under-
stood," resumed Max, " I should be reluctant to interfere.
You will, I presume, enjoy the exercise of so precious a pri-
vilege, even with a cocoa-nut breakfast, which you can
probably obtain, by requesting Prince Eiulo to scale one
of yonder tufted trees."

"How clear the matter becomes with a little reflection,"
observed Browne "(this camping out in the open air givea
one a famous appetite), In fact your reasoning is almost
irresistible (that fish looks particularly nice), and really
I begin to think I can safely profess myself a good re-
publican — until after breakfast at any rate."

Max'a culinary operations being at last completed^
Johnny placed a huge shell to his hps, and sounded a
long blast by way of announcement that breakfast wa»
ready. The fish was served up in a fresh palm-leaf, and
Johnny declared with much complacency, that not all the
crockery-stores in New York, could furnish a platter of
such royal dimensions. The leaves of the hibiscus, served
admirably for plates ; for knives and forks, we used the
strong stalks, or central fibres, of cocoa-nut leaflets, which,
with fiiigers in reserve for an emergency, answered af"

l)OMfistIC EMBARRASSMENTS. 159

least as well as the chopsticks of the Chinese. Upon the
■whole, it caDuot be denied that our table-service, simple
aa it was, had its advantages : it involved no necessity for
any -washing of dishes, no anxiety on the score of broken
crockery, and we could indulge in the extravagance of a
new dinner set every day, or even at every meal, for that
matter, if so disposed.

The fish proved most excellent, resembling the striped
bass in flavour and appearance : as to the oysters, they
were unanimously voted equal to Shrewsburya.

" Ah ! " sighed Max, " if we had now but a cup of coffee
and a hot roll, those inestimable blessings of civilization,
we could almost forget that we are on a desert island."

" Wait until the bread-fruit ripens," said Arthur, " and
we shall have a tolerably fair substitute for your * hot
rolls.' Eiulo will show us the most approved mode of
preparing it, and we shall find it nearly equal to the
wheaten loaf."

"All that Max seems to think about, is the eating,"
said Browne, swallowing the last remaining oyster, " but
I begin to feel troubled about another matter : see, I am
getting fairly out at the elbows, and neither 'coffee and
rolls,' nor roast-beef and plum-pudding in indefinite quan-
tities, would afford me any satisfaction, compared to ths
possession of a supply of clothing, or even a few changes
of linen — in fact, comrades, what are we to do 1 There is
danger that we shall all become savages : I begin to feel a
loss of self-respect already."

" We shall have to go into the manufacturing business,
I suppose," said Ai*thur. " I have often watched the
whole process of making tappa, or native cloth, from the
bark of the paper mulberiy ; it is quite simple, and I

have no doubt we can succeed in it ; I have talked with

160 DOMESTIC EMBARivASSMlsJtfTS.

Eiulo on the subject^ and find that he understands the
process thoroughly."

" But are there any paper-mulberries on tlie island t "
inquired Morton.

" I have not seen any," answered Arthur. " If there are
none, the bark of the bread-fruit tree will answer nearly
as well : the cloth made from it is as strong and durable,
though not so fine."

*' For the present, and before we go into home manAifac-
tures," said Max, " I advise Shakspeare, in order to avoid
the loss of Itis remaining self-respect in consequence of
wearing foul linen, to betake himself to the beach, wash
his garments, and take a bath until they dry in the sun,
which is the course I intend to pursue myself."

" And what are we going to do for shoes, I wonder t "

said Johnny, "mine are badly cracked and torn, and
nearly worn out : we shall all have to go barefoot ! " and
he looked aghast at the thought.

" We must kill a shark by-and-bye," said Arthur, "when
we have nothing more pressing to do j and we can make

leggins, or moccasins, from the skin,"

" How these things kill the romance and poetry of
desert-island life 1" said Max, "there's no romance about
being out at the elbows, or being obliged to wear diily
linen — "

" Or in doing one's own washing in salt water, and sit-
ting naked while one's clothes are drying," interposed
Browne, pathetically.

" Or in having your toes poke out at the end of your
boots," added Morton, advancing his right foot in illustra-
tion.

"No! these are all stem realities," said Max, "cases
not provided for in the story-books ; how is it, Johnny,

OOMESTIC RMBARRASSMENTS. 1 61

are there any precedents going to show how desert-
islanders do their washing and mending ?*'

" I think they generally saved heaps of clothes from the
wreck," answered Johnny, gravely. "Robinson Crusoe
bi'ought off several chests, containing ever so many saDora'
clothes of all sorts ; whether there were any shoes or not,
I don't remember : the Swiss family Robinson also ob-
tained an abundance of such things from the wreck of
their ship before it sunk ; Philip Qiiarll made garments
for himself from the skins of animals."

" But what are we to do ? we havn't any wi-eck from
which to supply ourselves with chests of clothing, with
arms and ammunition, and stores of ship-biscuit and salt
provisioBS. "We're worse off, it seems, than any of our
predecessors. And since we are not supplied with the
requisite capital and stock-in-trade for desert-islanders, it
ia reasonable to infer that we are not destined to a Robin-
son Crusoe life, so t£at we may confidently expect to be
taken off by some ship, in a short time." ^;

As we were finishing our breakfast, a couple of tiny,
fairy-like tern, came flying round us. They were very
tame, and hovered smoothly over our heads, at the dis-
tance of sometimes but a few feet. Their plumage was
snowy-white, and as they glided quietly around, peering
curiously into our faces, you could almost fancy that there
was the gleam of intelligence in their large eyes.

" O, what beautiful little birds !" cried Johnny, in great
delight : " I wish I had some crumbs of bread for them."

"Who knows, Johnny," suggested Max, "but these
strange little birds, as they seem to be, are no birds^ after
all, but an unfortunate prince and princess, who having
incurred the resentment of some potent enchanter, have
\}een transformed by his magical arts into their present

h

162 DOMESTIC EMBARRASSMENTS.

sLape, and bautehed to this desert island ; and hi;;7e now
come to us for sympathy and assistance — see "what a
mournful expression there is in their mild dark eyes!"
Johmiy was pleased with the conceit, and the little tern

were always afterwards kno\vn as the prince and princess.
They frequently came hoverin^f around us in the most
friendly and fearless manner, when we were m that part
of the island.

THE PROGRESS OF DISCOVERT. 163

CHAPTEE XYII.

THE PTIOGRESS OF DISCOVERT.

k TOICE IN T1I15 WOODS — VIVE NAPOLEON !— CALCTTLATHIO Tttl

LONGITUDE — THE "WILD FUENCIIMAN's" HAT.

Stepiuno. Hark! what sound is that?
Caltban. Art thou afeard, master?
Stephano. No, monster, not I.

Calipan. Be not afeard ; the isle is full of noises.

Our failure to discover fresh water, or any indications
of it, during yesterday's expedition, increased the anxiety
which we felt on the subject, and we determined to devote
the day to a continuation of the search.

The "base of Castle Hill was skirted on the left, and
divided from the neighbouring forest, by a deep gully, that
had much the appearance of a dried-up water-course, and
was probably a channel by which, in the rainy season, the
water from the higher ground was conveyed to the sea.
From the hill we could trace the course of the ravine,
until it struck the beach, near the point where the small
grove, before spoken of, seemed to spring up out of the

lagoon. Our last evening's ramble along the shore had
extended nearly to this spot, and to avoid going over the
same ground a second time, we struck into the ravine, and
followed its course ^ it descended towards the beach.

164 THE PROGRESS OF DISCOVERT.

Johnny every now and then, without any apparent ob-
ject, unless to evince his entire superiority to any feeling
of timidity, separated himself from the rest, and disap-
peared for a time in the forest, generally returning with a
" specimen" of some new plant or flower, or an account of
some strange bird, or curious tree, which he had seen.
From one of these adventurous excursions, he came rushing
back, closely followed by Eiulo, both looking a good deal
frightened, and, as soon as he had recovered breath suffi-
ciently to be able to speak, he earnestly affinned that he
had beard a man call out to him in the wood. His state-
ment was strange enough ; he had found a twining plant,
with a flower like a morning glory, and called loudly for
Eiulo, who was a little way off, to come and see if it was
the patara vine. The root of this plant is a valuable and
nutritious esculent^ and Arthur had described the leaf
and flower to us, in order that we might recognize it if
met with. Immediately a harsh voice issued from a
neighbouring thicket, uttering some words which he did
not distinctly understand, but they were in French, and
were something about Napoleon.

"In French! — and about Napoleon!" cried Arthur, in
amazement, "Are you quite sure, Johnny, that you
heard any words at all; — any thing more than a strange
noise of some kind ?"

But Johnny was positive; — he had heard the "Napo-
leon," as plainly as he ever heard any thing. There were
only a few words — not more than two or three, but they
were spoken veiy distinctly, and quite loud, as if the pei^
son were cheering ; he could not be mistaken.

"Only two or three words," pursued Arthun, "would
you know them fura'** if you should hear them re-
peated J"

The i^roguess of discoveri^. 165

«Yes,ItlunkIslioiild."

" "Was it ' Vive Napoleon ! ' that you heard ]"

" Those are the very words ! " cried Johnny ; " they
were spoken as plainly as you speak them, hut in a
rougher voice."

"Did you see any thing — did you look towards the
thicket ]"

** I saw something stir, but could not tell what it was.
The voice was harsh and angry, and I was frightened,
and ran away as fast as I could. I thought pei-hapa it
was a wild man — some one who had been shipwrecked
here many years ago, and lived alone in the woods until
he had grown wild or mad."

Johnny was so positive in this singular story, that for
a moment we hardly knew what to think of it. Eiulo
too had heard the voice — the same harsh voice that

Johnny described as issuing from the thicket. But the

notion of any person amusing himself by shouting ** Vive

Kapoleon !" in the forests of a solitary island in the Pacific,

seemed so preposterous, that we could not help coming to

the conclusion, that some sudden noise in the wood had
seemed to Johnny's excited imagination like a human

voice — ^though, why he should fancy that it uttered those
particular words — the words of a strange language, was a
puzzle which we could not solve, "We, however, turned
into the forest, and Johnny pointed out the spot where
he was standing when he heard the voice. There were
the vines, with flowers like morning-glories ; and there
wac the thicket, whence, as he alleged, the sound had pro-
ceeded. We shouted aloud several times, but there was
no response, except from a large bird that rose heavily
into the air. uttering a discordant scream; and we were
satisfied that it was this, or aome similar sound, that had

166 THE PROGRESS OF DIBOOVERT.

Btartled Johnny; in which conviction we dismissed the
matter from our minds.

The flowering vine proved to be the patara, which
Arthur had been so anxious to discover, and on digging
it up, two roots, resembling large potatoes, were found
attached to the stalk. Quite a number of these plants
were scattered about the neighbourhood ; enough, as Arthur
said, to make a tolerable potato patch.

All this time Max was missing, having been some littlo
distance in advance of the re.-^t, wlien Johnny had raised
his strange alarm. AYlien we got back into the ravine, he
was not in sight, but we had hardly resumed our progress
towards the shore, when we heard him calling out that he
had found water. At this announcement, our orderly
march broke at once into a hasty scramble. Browne
alone maintained his dignity, and came on at his usual
elephantine pace, probably suspecting that the pretended
discovery was a hoax. Morton and I raced along the

hollow, "neck and neck," till we suddenly reached a point

where there was an abrupt descent to the level of the
shore. We were under too much headway to be able to
stop, and jumping together down the steep bank, we nar-
rowly missed alighting upon Max, as he lay extended on
the ground, scooping up water with his hand, from the
basin of a small pool. I came down close beside him,
while Morton, sprang fairly over his liea.d, and alighted
with a great splash in the centre of the pool. I had
barely time to roll out of the way, when the others, with
the exception of Browne, came tumbling in their turn
over the bank, which took them as much by surprise as it
had us. Morton's lamentable figure, as lie stood motion-
less in the midst of the pool, drenched with water, and
with a great patcli of Mack mud plaR+ored <?vcr one eye,

THE PaOGKESS OF DISCOVERY. 1G7

together with Max'a look of consternation at his own
narrow escape, were irresistibly ludicrous, and provoked
a laugh, in which, after a moment, they both heartily

* *

jomea.

" Very obliging of you, Morton," said Max, recovering
hiS self-possession, "I wanted to see how deep it was,
and you are a good enough measuring-stick; just stand
still a minute, if you please."

"You have reason to feel obliged to me," answered
Morton, extricating himself from the rand, " it was on
your account solely that I got into this pickle. I had to
choose between breaking your neck, as you lay right in
my way, or jumping into this hole, and not having much
time to deliberate, it isn't surprising if I came to a foolish
conclusion."

"It would be less unfeeling," replied Max, "as well as
more strictly according to the facts of the case, to say a
hasty conclusion, which might be tinderstood literally, and

would then be literally correct."

The water, which we found to be good, though slightly

brackish, was contained in a narrow pit, situated in the
centre of a circular hollow, or basin. It was not more

than half full, but its sides showed a fresh and distinct

water-mark, more than a foot above the pre&'ent level.

At the edge of the basin, a solitary palm shot upward

its straight shaft, to the height of nearly a hundred feet ;

the long, fringed leaves drooping from the top, like a

bunch of gigantic ostrich plumes, and overshadowing the

well. It seemed difficult to account for this supply of

fresh water in so unpromising a spot, and so near the sea-

sWo¥e;'^:-''I was at first inclined to think it nothing more

j'

than a reservoir of standing water, left by the last rains,
which had filled not only the pit, but also the surr jundin^

168 THE PROGRESS 01" DISCOVERT.

basin. The former being deep and narrow, evaporation
■would be very gradual, which might, I supposed, account
for the small quantity still remaining.

" That can hardly be " said Arthur, when I suggested
this explanation, " the spot is wholly unsheltered from
the sun, except at noon, by this screen of palm-leaves, and
if the entire hollow were filled with water this morning,
there would not be a drop of moisture left in three days,
unless the supply were renewed. Besides, the water is
too fresh and sweet to have stood since the last rains."

"I should judge," said Morton, "that this spot is but
little above the level of the lagoon, and if the bottom of
the well here, is below that level at ebb tide, this supply
of fresh water can be easily accounted for."

"The rise and fall of the tide here, does not seem to be

more than eighteen inches, or two feet," said Max, " and

as to the depth of the pit, or well, as you call it, you ought

to be able to speak with confidence, having so recently
been to the bottom of it."

" There are wells on the low islands of the West Indies,"
said Morton, " which communicate with the sea, and rise
and fall with the tide, the sea-water penetrating through
the sand, and being distilled in its passage : and I think
this is one of the same kind. Here is a recent water-mark,
more than a foot above the present level. If I am right
we shall find that the tide is now low."

Arthur thrust a stick into the side of the well to mark
the height of the water, while Johnny rushed furiously
down to the beach, and in a moment came posting back
with the announcement that the tide was low.

" Very well, so fiir," said Aithur, " it only remains to be
Been, whether, when the tide has risen, there will be any
corresponding rise here."

THE PROGRESS OF DISCOVERT. 169

* And, meaiitime," suggested Browne, "let us refresh
ourselves with a bath, before the sun gets higher ; and we
can also take the opportunity to give our under garments
the benefit of an ablution, as Max has proposed."

N*o one can fully appreciate the luxury of sea-bathing
who has not enjoyed it within the tropics.

The calm, transparent water, with the firm white beach
and bottom, looked so deliciously cool and inviting, that the
suggestion was adopted as soon as made ; and the expe-
dition with which the preliminaries were got through with,
reminded me of those eager races to " the pond," on the
letting out of the village school at home, of a hot summer
afternoon, in which several of our present company had

often been competitors for the honour of being "^ the first
one in." Arthur warned us to beware of sharks, and to
keep a vigilant lookout for " back fins," and our dread of
those prowlinp" and rapacious monsters, was a great draw-
back to the enjoyment of our bath. In all the feats and
dexterities of the swimmer's art, Eiulo far outdid the rest
of us, moving throiigh the water with the ease, rapidity,

and gracefulness of a fish. After one or two trials with
him, in swimming under water, and diving for shells, even
Max yielded the palm, declaring that he was ready to
match himself against any land animal, but should for the
future decline entering into a contest of that kind with

amphibious creatures.

Eiulo thought that this swimming in smooth water was
but indiiferent spoi-t, and began to talk to Arthur with
great animation, in his native tongue, about the pleasures
of " faahee," or surf-bathing, and the exquisite fun of dodg-
ing the "manos," or sliarks, among the rollers. Presently
he struck out into the lagoon, and before we could guess
his intention, he swam over to the reefa and picking his way

170 THE PROGRESS OF DISCOVERT.

across it, plunged fearlessly among the breakers on the
outside. He stayed, however, but a short time, and came
back saying, that the '^ manos " were altogether too thick
out there, and that a huge blue one, had come near seizing
him in the surf, before he could catch a roller so as to land
safely upon the reef. When blamed by Arthiir for his
rashness, he laughed, and promised that he would not in-
cur the risk again. From Ms frightened looks when he
got back, I guessed that he had not found " dodging the
mano" such exquisite fun as he had anticipated.

Max presently desisted from swimming, in order, as he
said, to " do his washing," consoling himself for the hard-
ship of being obliged to do laundress' work, with the re-
flection that the necessity for such a task would soon cease.
as our clothes being in constant use, without the benefit of a

change, could not last long. Browne and I followed this

example, and having spread our garments in the sun to
diy, resumed our aquatic sports in the meantime. Arthur
dressed himself^ and accompanied by Eiulo, left lis, saying
that he would rejoin us in an hour at the hill. The two
proceeded a short distance along the shore to the right,
and then turned into the forest, to search, as we supposed,
for plants, or roots, capable of being turned to useful
account.

By the time our clothes were sufliciently dry to be put

on, the tide had risen considerably, and on repairing to
the well, we found the water several inches above Arthur's
mark, thus confirmmg Morton's theory in regard to it.
Though we should have been better pleased to have dis-
covered a spring, yet there was no reason to doubt that
here was an ample and permanent supply of fresh water.

As it was now getting towards noon, and the day was
excessively hot, we returned to Castle Hill, to enjoy the

THE PROGRESS OF mSCOVERY, 171

grateful shade of its cool, dark groves, and the breezf
whicJi was sure to play about its summit, if air was stir-
ring any where. Max sought out a leafy bow(;r of ferns
and creepers, near the foot of the great candle-nut tree,
where he stretched himself out and went to sleep. Johnny
got his bow and arrows, and began to practise archery, by
shooting at the large and gaudy insects hovering around
the blossoms of the vines, and when, probably by accident,
be carried away the wing of one of them at the distance
of some six or seven yards, he boasted loudly of the ex-
ploit, and intimated that in case of a brush with any can-
nibals, hia bow might be relied on to do some execution.
Getting tired at length of his crusade against the butter-
flies, he expressed a wish to try his skill upon some larger
game, but as nothing in the shape of a jackall or tiger-cat
was obliging enough to make its appearance, he put aside
his weapons with a sigh, and lying down near Max, was
soon asleep. There was a drowsy influence in the profound
quiet, and subdued light of the spot, to which I should
soon have yielded but for Browne, who began to talk of
Scottish scenes and legends, with sufficient interest to keep

Morton and myself awake. It seemed strange enough, to
lie therein that tropical forest, listening to an enthusuistic
description of the i*ugged sublimity of the Trosachs, the
romantic beauty of Loch Vennacher, Loch Katrine, and
Loch Achray, or the lovely vale of Kelso, bosomed in
green woods, with its placid streams, smooth lawns, and
hazel-fringed dells.

About noon, Arthur and Eiulo made their appearance,
emerging from the grove to the south-east of the hill, laden
with roots, plants, strips of bark, &c. They had been look-
ing for the auti, or j)aper-mulberry, but without success.
Arthur had discovered a large and beautiful species of

172 THE PROGRESS ^f OlSCOVEllt,

sweet-scented feni, with a tuberous root, shaped like a
sweet-potato e, which he said waa baked and eaten by the
Society Islanders : he brought with him several entire
sijecimensj root and all. The leaves were fragrant and
elegantly shaped, and the roots were of a mottled brown
and yellow. Eiulo carried in his hand an unripe bread-
fruit—a splendid pea-green globe, nearly as big as his
head. They had discovered a noble grove of this most
valuable tree, at no great distance from the hill, but the
fruit was not yet perfectly ripe. Johnny, who had awaked
at the return of the absentees, was greatly delighted at
these discoveries, and began to lament that he had not
accompanied Arthur. He inquired very particularly as to
the direction of the bread-fruit grove, as if cherishing the
design of setting out at once to visit it ; but Browne letting
some thing drop about the voice in the woods, Johnny
changed the subject, and saying that it must be nearly
dinner-time, proposed to make a fire, and bake the fern
roots, so as to test their quality. Upon hearing this. Max,
whose slumbers had also been disturbed, raised his head
for a moment, and e:::claimed so vehemently against the
very mention of a fire, when we were already dissolving
with heat, that nothing further was said about it.

"And now," said Arthur, after having given a full
account of his discoveries, and answered all Johnny's
questions, " I believe it is just noon, and while I think of
it, I will try to ascertain our longitude."

"Ascertain our longitude ! " exclaimed Browne, "pray,
how do you propose to do that without instruments?"

"I know the longitude of the KingsmlU islands," an-
swered Arthur, " and if I can find our distance east or
west of them, of course, I have the longitude of this
island."

THE PROGRESS OF DISCOVKRi'. 173

*'But there's the difficulty; how can you ascertain even
whether we are to the east, or to the west of them 1"

" In the first place, then, I have Kingsmill island time ;
my watch was last set, one day while we were there, just
after Mr. Frazer had taken an observation."

" Do you mean to say," inquired I with sonio interest,
*' that you have regularly wound up your watch every day
since then, without once forgetting or neglecting it, during
all that has since occurred ?"

" I did regularly, ever}' night before sleeping ; and during
all the time that we were at sea in the boat, hardly a day
passed that I did not note down some memoranda in my
pocket-book."

'^That now, is positively diabolical!" exclaimed Max,

from his covert among the creepers, where he was com-
pletely invisible, except his heels, which were kicking iu
the air; '^ I wouldn't have believed, Arthur, that you were
such a methodical, cold-blooded creature 1 I suppose now,
that if I had tumbled overboard during that hideous time,
and been gulped down by a shark, or if Shakspeare had
starved to death, you would have made a regular memo-
randum of the event, in business-like style, and wouni^ up
your watch as usual. I think I see the entry b) your
pocket-book, thus: * 1839, June 3rd — Mem. Max Adeler
fell overboard this day, and was devoured by a shark — an
amiable and interesting youth, though too much given to
levity, and not prepared, I fear, for so uuexpected a sum-
mons. June 5th — 3fem. My worthy aod estimable friend,
John Browne, late of Glasgow, Scotland, died this day,
from lack of necessary food. Threw him overboard. What
startling monitions of the uncertainty of life ! ' "

" Peace, Kaiser Maximilien, peace ! '* cried Browne,
**and let the Pi'ofessor proceed to fix our longitude.'*

174 THE PROGRESS OF DISCOVERT.

" The first thing " resumed Arthur, " is to plant a

straight stick upright in the ground; when it casts no

shadow east or Avest, it is twelve o'clock here. My watch

will then show what time it is at the Kingsmills : if it shows

an earlier hour there, we must be east of them ; if a lat^r

houTj then we are west of them."

"I think I understand that," said Johnny; "the next

thing is to tell how far east or west we are,"

" That is quite easy. There are, you know, three hundred
and sixty degrees of longitude : the sun passes through
them all — that is, round the globe in twenty-four hours.
Then, of course, in one hour, it passes through fifteen de-
grees, and through one degree in four minutes; so that for
every four minutes' difference of time, there will be a dif-
ference of longitude of one degree — that is, near the
equator, about seventy miles."

"It-must be very^iaear'Tl'^Oli no^ " said Johnny, run-
ning out into a patch of sunshine, where a small opening
in the grove let in the light, "see! I have hardly any
shadow at all."

Arthur planted a stick in the ground, and as soon as
the shadow marked the hour of noon, looked at his watch,
by which it was eighteen minutes after twelve.

" It would seem from this," said he, " that we are foiu"
degrees and a half, or over three hundred miles, west o\
the Kingsmills : it also appears that we are very near the
line, but a little south of it, for the shadow inclines a little
southward."

" It \a all nonsense," cried Max, sitting up in the grass
" to pretend to ascertain where we are, in any such way

as this. If your watch (which you know is a miserable
time-keeper) has lost or gained but twenty minutes since
we left the Kingsmills, which is now nearly two months,

THE PROGRESS OF DISCOVERT. 175

then what becomes of your learned calculations about
the difference of time, and of the longitude, and all thatl"

Arthur laughed, and admitted that this grave impeach-
ment of the character of his chronometer, was not entirely
without foundation, and that, in consequence, the strict
accuracy of the results arrived at, could not be relied on.

" The only thing that we can be at all certain about, in

regard to our position," said Max, " is, that we are south

of the line."

" How can that be ? " inquired Browne, " the Pole-star is

visible from here, or, at any rate, we saw it on the second
or thii'd night we were at sea in the boat."

"A part of the Great Bear can be seen," answered
Arthur, " but not the north stai*, I think. I looked for
it last night, and though I could see all the stars of the
Dipper, the pointers were near the horizon, and the Pole-
star below ik But, even if visible, it would be no evidence
that we are north of the equator, for I believe it can be

seen from the fourth or fifth degree of south latitude."

" See now," said Browne, " what a pretty neighbourhood
you are getting us into, with your wise calculations ! If
we are south of the line, and far west of the Kingsmills, we
must be somewhere near the Bidera Sea, and the Mendana
Archipelago, about which the young sailor Roby, who was
always boasting of having sailed with the famous Cap-
tain Morell, used to tell us such wonderful stories."

"It is good ground," replied Arthur, "for one who
wants to exercise a traveller's privilege, and recount maiwels
and prodigies, without fear of contradiction. Those seas
are full of large islands, with countless numbers of smaller
ones, and remain to this day almost unexplored. In fact,
little more is now ascertained in regard to them, than was
known two hundred and fifty years ago, soon after their

170 THE PROGRESS OF DISCOVERT.

discovery by the Spanish navigator Mendana ; so that a
man who pretends, as Boby does, to have gone over the
ground himselfj may tell pretty much what stories he
pleases, without danger of any one being able to convict
him of inaccuracy."

" What ! " exclaimed Johnnyj opening his eyes to their
utmost extent, " do you suppose we are near those islanda
Jack Eoby tells about, where the natives chew betel and
lime out of a carbo-gourd, and sacrifice men to their idols,
and tear out and devour the hearts of their enemies?"

"And where King Eogerogee lived," added Max "(you
remember him Johnny), the giant seven feet and a half
high, who wore a paradise plume on his head, and a girdle
of the claws and beaks of birds around his waist ? Why,
this may be the very island of Podee over which he reigned,
and we ought not to be greatly surprised to see him look

in upon us at any moment, with his paradise plume waving
among the tops of the trees, and his spear, eighteen feet

long, in his hand."

"Don't let Kogerogee disturb your dreams, Johnny,"
said Ai-thur, ^Mf there is any such place as the island of
Podee, which I very much doubt, it is, according to Roby's
own account, but a few leagues to the east of Papua, and
some twelve or thirteen hundred miles at least, west of
us."

Max now got up, and after stretching himself, and giving
three or four great yawns, came towards the spot where
the rest of us were sitting ; but after taking a few steps,
he suddenly stopped, uttering an exclamation of surprise,
and looking down at something in the grass at his feet.

He then kicked a dark object, out of a tall bunch of fern,

towards us. It was an old beaver hat, crushed flat, and
covered with mildew aad dirt, Kobinson Crusoe was not

THE PROGRESS OF DISCOVERT. 177

more startled by the footprint in the sand, than were we
at the sight of this unequivocal trace of civilized man.
Arthur picked it up, and restoring it partially to its proper
shape, examined the inside. On the lining of the crown
appeared in ^ilt letters

OHAPELIER,
RUE RICHELIEU, No. 20.

+

A PARIS,

" Here, then," said Max, " is an end of the notion thai
we are the fii'st inhabitants of this island ; it is clear that
others have been, if they are not now upon it. Pei-liaps,
Johnny, this is the hat of the man you heard talking French
in the woods this mornincj."

" At any rate," said, Arthur, after a moment of thought-
ful silence, " this must be the place where the Frenchman
who perished in the water-spout, and his companionis, were
cast away, and from which they afterwards reached Eiulo's
island in a small boat. The well yonder is probably their
work, and we may perhaps find other evidences of their
stay here, when we come to explore the island more
thoroughly."

) 78 ABOUT TEWA-

CHAPTEK XVT1T.

ABOUT TEWA.

A nuLL ciiAnr.R, but necessatiy — wak.vtta and atoh.

A GENTLE HINT — MAX AS AN ARCHITECT.

" In the forest hollow roaring,

Harlc ! I hear a deepening sound,

Clouds rise tliiek with lieavy lowering,

See! the horizon blackens round."

It must not be inferred from tlio occasional bursts of
holiday humour in which we indulged, that we had become
reconciled to our exile, and were now ready to subside into
a state of indolent contentmentj satisfied with security

from present danger, and the abundant means of subsistence
which we had discovered.

Not even a tropical paradise, with its warm, glowing
sky and balmy atmosphere, its " ambrosial fi'uits and
amaranthine flowers," could charm us into oblivion of
home, and those who made it dear, or diminish the bitter-
ness of the thought of being cut off for ever from human
intercourse, and of having all our plans of life deranged
and frustrated. Though we did not brood continually
over our unfortunate situation, we were far from being
insensible to it. The loveliest island that ever reposed in
undiscovered beauty, upon the bosom of the "blue summer

ABOUT TEWA. 17 1?

oceaUj" though rich in all things necessary to supply every
material want, must still have seemed to us but as a gilded
aud luxurious prison, from which we should never cease to
sigh for an escape.

Arthur's conclusion, mentioned at the end of the last
chapter, seemed in itself so probable, and was confirmed
by so many circumstances, that it was readily adopted Ly
ITS all; and believing that the party, of whose presence
at one time upon the island the hat was an evidence, had
left it years ago, the occurrence no longer appeared to pos-
sess any importance, and we dismissed it altogether from,
our thoughts.

Eiulo, when questioned on the subject of the white men
living among his own people, repeated substantially his
former statement, that they came from an island lying
south of his father's, and distant from it less than a day's
sail. It seemed, also, that before the arrival of the whites,
an island lying in the direction from which they iiad come,
had been known to some, at least, of the natives, and
visited by them. In the course of the conversations whicli
he had with Arthur, at various times, about his father's

people and their affairs, Eiulo had often spoken of an old
warrior, "Wakatta by name, famous for his courage aud
great personal strength, of which he related many re-
markable instances. Through two generations he had
been the most devoted and valued friend of the family of
his cliief; and upon his wisdom, sagacity, and prowess,
Eiulo's father and grandfather had relied in many an
emergency, and seldom in vain. Formerly, the three
islands were independent of each other, and were ruled by
separate chiefs, , who sometimes engaged in pauguinary
wars among themselves, in most of which Wakatta ]i&A

played a prominent part.

180 ABOUT TKWA.

A great many moons ago, as Eiulo expressed it, the
ctiefs of the two smaller islands had united their forces
against his grandfather, who was then chief of Tewa, the
third and largest. To this enterprise they had been in-
cited by AtollOj an uncle of Eiulo, and younger brother of
tlie present chief, his father. This man was possessed of
great ability, and his reputation as a warrior was second
only to that of Wakatta, who was many years his senior,
so that among those of his own age he was considered
without an equal. But, though eminent for talent and
courage, he seemed to be entirely destitute of principle or
feeling ; and impelled, as was supposed, by a spirit of un-
scrupulous ambition (for no other motive could be assigned),
this unnatural son plotted against the lives of his own fa-
ther and elder brother. His designs being discovered, and
fully exposed, he fled to one of the neighbouring islands,
and sought the protection of its chief, his father's most
formidable and inveterate enemy. Afterwards, by his
address and energy, he succeeded in bringing about a
league between the chiefs of the two smaller islands, for the
purpose of an attack against Tewa, by their combined
forces, Tlie enterprise was planned with the greatest se-
crecy, and executed with equal skill and daring. At mid-
night, the allies set sail, in a fleet of war canoes, and two
hours before dawn they had disembarked at Tewa, marches
to the principal village, ^vhere the chief resided, and made
II their dispositions for the attack, which was so totally
imespected, that it was crowned with complete success.
Scarcely any resistance was made : the principal Tewan
•warriors were slain in their beds, or taken prisoners ; and
Eiulo's father and grandfather, with "Wakatta, only saved
their lives by fleeing to the mountains. Knowing that
the strictest search would be made for them, and that, if

ABOUT TEWA. 181

taken, instant death would be their doom, they stole forth
from their lurking-place by night, repaired to the heach, and
taking a large canoe, which they discovered there, set sail in
her, steering boldly southward, in search of a considerable
island which was believed to lie in that direction. Soon
after sunrise they came in sight of land, but, on approach,
ing it, they found that the surf was bursting with grea i
fury upon a barrier reef, stretching between them and the
shore ; and it wag not until they had coasted along it for
many hours, that they succeeded in effecting a landing.
Eiulo had heard both his father and "VVakatta speak of tha
island as a singularly beautiful spot, nearly as large as
Tewa» and abounding in bread-fruit and cocoa-nut trees.
Here the fugitives remained for several months^ until be-
coming wearied of their solitary life, and possessed by an
irresistible longing to revisit their homes, they came to
the determination to venture back, and learn the state of
things there, at every hazard. They accordingly set sail
one day at noon, in order that they might reach their des-
tination under cover of night, in which they succeeded.

Seeking a temporary place of concealment in the woods,
they seized favourable opportunities to discover themselves
to some friends on whom they could rely. They learned
that the victorious allies had been guilty of the most in-
tolerable cruelty towards the people of Tewa. Many of
the prisoners had been slain, as sacrifices to the gods, and
many more had been made slaves. Atollo had established
himself as chief at the conquei-ed island, and had gathered
about him a band of the most ferocious and desperate men,
who practised every species of cruelty and oppression upon
the inhabitants. The latter, driven to the utmost verge
of endurance, were now ready to incur any risk in an at-
tempt to deliver themselves from a yoke so galling. They

382 ABOUT TEWA.

needed only a leader, and the experience and prowess of
"Wakatta, together with the presence of their ancient and
rightful chief and his son, inspired them with coiifidencft
and courage. Gathering a small, but resolute, band of
warriors, they awaited the favourable moment to strike a
decisive blow; and then, emulating the secrecy and sud-
denness of AtoUo's recent enterprise, they sallied forth at
night, from their rendezvous in the forest, and fell upon
him and his adherents. Wakatta was unable to restrain
the ferocity of his followers, excited by the insults and in-
juries they had suffered, and they killed on the spot all
"who fell into their hands, pausing to make no prisoners.
AtoUo, after fighting like a tiger, though almost alone,
succeeded in making his escape with a few of his attend-
ants. The victors promptly carried the war into the

neighbouring islands, both of which were completely sub-
dued, and afterwards remained under the sway of Eiulo's
grandfather until his death, when the present chief suc-
ceeded. AtoUo, after resisting as long as there remained

the slightest prospect of success, had sought refuge among
the recesses of the mountains, where he still lurked with
a few outlaw followers, as desperate as himself. His father
had forbidden any search for him, or any efforts for his
capture to be made ; and such was the dread inspired hy
his desperate courage, ferocity, and cunning, and such
the superstitious terror with which he was generally re-
garded, that few felt any inclination to transgress this
command, or to meddle in any way with him or his fol-
lowers; and he was consequently left unmolested in his
favourite haunts, among the wild and almost inaccessible
precipices of the interior. In seasons of scarcity, his father
had even caused supplies of food to be placed where they
would be likely to fall in his way. Eiulo always shud-

ABOUT TEWA. 183

dered when he spoke of this man. Once, -when accom-
panied by a young plajmaate and an attendant, he had
strayed a long way into the wood in search of wild-flowera,
and had, without being aware of it, approached the region
frequented by the outlaws, a spear had suddenly been
hurled at him from an adjacent thicket, with so deadly a
purpose, that it whistled past within a few inches of liia
side. As they fled in alarm^ and were clambering hastily
down a steep descent, a mass of rock was disengaged from
the verge of an ovex'hanglng precipice, and came near
crushing them all. Looking back, in their flight, they saw
a wild figiire, which the attendant recognized at once as
that of Eiulo's uacle, stooping at the edge of the cliff, in
the act of loosening another large stone. Notwithstanding
this murderous attempt, the present chief of Tewa con-
tinued to pursue the same forbearing course which his
father had adopted, and AtoUo was still permitted to re-
main unmolested among his mountain fastnesses.

Eiulo, even before the discovery of the hat, had believed
that we were upon the same island which his father had
visited, as above related, and from which the whites had
afterwards come. He was confident, that by sailing north-
ward, with a fair wind, we should reach Tewa in less than
a day. Though generally cheerful, and overflowing with
boyish spirits, there were times when it was apparent that
he pined for his home ; and, though he never directly
urged it, he earnestly wished to have us make the attempt
to reach his father's island in the yawl.

At length I began to suspect, from the constant and
minute inquiries which Arthur made in relation to Tewa,
and its people, their usages, habits, &c., that he wag
thinking seriously of some such attempt. He directed his
inqiiiries particularly to the point whether the island w;U

184 ABOtTT TEWA.

ever visited by ships. Eiulo remembered hearing his father
speak of big canoes, without any outriggers, and whose
masts were as high as a cocoa-nut-tree, having passed in
sight of the island. He had heard, too, that a long while
ago, one of these great vessels had got aground, upon a reef
between Tewa and the adjacent island, and that the natives
had gone off to her in their canoes, and some of them had
ventured on board at the invitation of the strangers. Old
Wakatta was one of these, and he had received a wonder-
ful present from the white chief, which he had often
exhibited to Eiulo, and which, from his description of it,
appeared to be neither more nor less than a small looking-
glass. The great canoe had, by throwing overboard a part
of her cargo, got off from the reef at the rising of the tide,
and resumed her voyage. It was pretty evident that the
arrival of a European vessel at the islands, was an event
of very rare occurrence, and in all probability the result of
mere accident. Except that he steadily pursued inquiries
of this kind, Arthur said nothing to show that he enter-
tained the thought of such an undertaking as I suspected
him to be revolving. Browne and Morton both, had ex-
aggerated notions of the cruelty and treachery of the
" heathen natives," as the former called them, and would, I
had no doubt, be strongly averse to any step calculated to
place us in their power, unless it should also, in some way,

increase our prospects of ultimately getting home.

Eor several days after the occurrences narrated in the
last chapter, we remained at Castle-hill, making little ex-
cursions daUy in various directions. Having now dis-
covered a supply of fresh water, and abundant means of
subsistence, it seemed as though there was at present
nothing further for us to do, except to assist Arthur, as far
as we could; in his preparations for manufacturing tappa.

ABOUT TEW A. l85

The vre^iheT was so genial (except during the middle of
the day, when the heat was frequently intolerable,) tL^t
we felt no want of any other shelter than such as the grov&
afforded us. Generally, towards evening, a refreshing
breeze set in from the sea, and lasted several hours. We
experienced no bad effects from sleeping in the open air,
and far from finding it a hardship, we soon came to con-
sider it every way more pleasant, than to be cribbed and
cabined within four close walls. There Avaa something de-
lightful, in dropping off into dreamland, listening; to the
whispering of the leaves above you, and catching glimpses
through them, of a sky so deliciously blue, and stars so
wonderfully bright. It seemed aa though in this favoured
spot, the fable of a perpetual summer was to be realized,
and the whole circle of the year was to be crowned with
the same freshness and verdure and beauty, the same pro-
fusion of fruits and flowers, which we had thus far enjoyed.
But such expectations, if any of us were beguiled into
entertaining them, were destined to be rudely dissipated.
One hot afternoon, we were startled from a di^owsy siesta
in the grove, by a peal of thunder, such as is rarely heard
in temperate climates, and on springing upand lookingabout
us, we beheld above and around us, certain indications,

which it would have been far more interesting and agree-
able to contemplate from beneath the shelter of a snug and
comfortable dwelling. The wind moaned through the
bending tree-tops ; the face of the heavens was black as
night, and the waters of the lagoon, and of the ocean, had
darkened to a steely blue beneath their frown. Before we
had fairly shaken off our drowsiness, another abrupt peal
of thunder burst overhead, with a suddenness that seemed
to jar the very clouds and shake the water out of them, for

the rain began all at once to come down violently, in big

186 ABOUT TEWA.

drops, that rattled like hailstones upon the crisp leaves ol
the forest. The thunder appeared to have completed its
office in giving the signal for the clouds to discharge their
contents, and we heard it no more. For a time, the dense
foliage of the large tree under which we gathered, com-
pletely sheltered us ; but soon the moisture began to drip
slowly from the lower leaves, and occasionally fell in sudden
showers, as the branches were shaken by the wind.

At length, the ground became thoroughly saturated,
shallow puddles formed in every little hollow or depression
and there was the prospect of a most miserable night if
the storm should continue. Happily, this did not prove to
be the case ; in about an hour after we had been aroused
by the first thunder peal, the clouds dispersed almost as
suddenly as they had gathered ; the sun shone forth

brightly ; the trees and the grass sparkled with rain-
drops, lustrous as diamonds, and the whole landscape smiled
in fresher beauty than ever.

This little occurrence, however, served as a seasonable
hint to recall to our minds the importance of contriving
some kind of a dwellinjj to afford us shelter in bad weather,
and we resolved to lose no time in setting about it. Ac-
cordingly, the day following that of the thunder shower,
as soon as we had returned from the beach, after taking
our regular morning swim, Arthur called a council, to de-
liberate and determine upon the matter of house-building.
The first thing was to fix upon a site ; the only objection
to the level space at the top of the hill, was its elevated
position, exposing it to the full force of the violent winds
which prevail at certain periods of the tropical year. Bl^t
on that side from which the strongest winds blow, the spot
was protected by still higher land towards the interior,
and the fine trees of various kinds and sizes, (some of them

ABOUT TEWA. 187

evidently the growth of mauy years,) among which could
be seen no prostrate trunks, showed, as we thought, that
nothing was to be feared from that source.

"VVe, therefore, selected a smooth, open space, near the
edge of the terrace, commanding a view of the sea, through
a vista of noble trees. Max insisted, that, inasmuch as
with our limited architectural resources we could not make
our house of more than one story, we ought to build in
" cottage style " and make up for deficiency in height, by
spreading over a large surface. He then proceeded to
mark out a ground-plan, upon a scale that would have been
shockingly extravagant, had we been in a part of the world
where the price of building-lots was to be taken into con-
sideration. A parallelogram, nearly forty feet long by

twenty-five in width, the narrower side fronting the sea,
was the plan of the main building. TMs was to be flanked
by two wings, each some sixteen feet square, which would
serve to strengthen and support the principal structure.
" Upon this model," Max complacently observed, " he in-
tended one of these days to build his country-seat, near
Mount Merino, on the Hudson ; meantime, we were wel-
come to the benefit of the idea."

" Really, we're greatly obliged to you, Max," said
Browne, " for helping us so generously through witli the
most difficult part of the business. All that we now want
in order to finish it at once, is merely a few loads of joist,
plank, pine-boards, shingles, and window-sash ; a supply of

nails, a set of carpenter's tools, and a couple of carpenters
to use them."

'•' Of course," rejoined Max, " we shall want a supply of
building materials, tools, &c., and I am expecting them
along daily. We have now been here several weeks, and
it is quite time, in the natural and regular course of things,

188 ABOUT TEWA.

and according to the uniform experience of people situated
as we are, for a ship heavily laden (say in our case) with
lumber and hardware, to be driven upon our shores in the
oildst of a terrible storm (yesterday when it began to
thunder I thought it was at hand). The ship will come
driving upon the reef — the crew will take to the boats ;
but no boat can live in such a sea, and notwithstanding our
humane and daring efforts to assist them, all perish among
the breakers — that is to say, all except the carpenter — ■
whom I rescue, by plunging into the raging flood and

dra^rging him ashore by the hair, just tia he is about slak-
ing for the third time."

" Noilly doue ! " said Browne, " but couldn't you at the
same time manage to save a drowning washerwoman 1 she
would be as great an acquisition as the carpenter, in my

mind."

" At length," resumed Max, " the storm abates — the .sea
becomes smooth — we go out in the yawl to tlie stranded
vessel, where she lies upon a coral patch, and bring off, in
two boat loads, the carpenter's chest, a keg of gunpowder,
a blunderbuss, seven muskets, fourteen pairs of pistols, and
a bag of doubloons, (think of that, Johnny !) That very
night the wind rises again : the surf breaks the wreck to
pieces, and washes the fragments ashore, and in the morning
the sea is strewn far and wide with floating spars, and
bales, and barrels; and the reef is covered for miles with 'joist,
plank, pine boards, shingles, window-sash,' and whatever
other trifling conveniences are requisite for building my
cottage. This is what Johnny and I confidently calculate

upon.'*

*' In the meantime," said Arthur, " in case by any un-
fortunate accident your ship should fail to arrive in time
to enable us to get the cottage up before the raius set in,

ABOUT TEWA. 189

I propose that we commence a less ambitious structure;"
flud he began to trace upoa the ground with a pointed
stick, the oval outline of what he called ' a Tihitian far6.'
" But even for my fare," he added, " we shall need the
means of cutting down a number of good-sized trees."

" Of which we are entirely destitute," said Max, with
an air of triumph, " and I don't see but that we shall have
to wait for my ship after all."

"Not so," answered Arthur, "for I think that two or
three of the cutlasses may be converted into tolerable
saws, with which, by dint of a little patience, we can get.
out as many posts and rafters as will be requisite for the
frame of our building, though I admit it will be tedious
work."

Johnny heaved a profound sigh at tlie prospect of the
difficulties that lay in the way of his pet project of house-
building, and wished that '' that old magician who built the
castle with a thousand windows for Aladdin, in a single
night, would only be clever enough to lend us hia assist-
ance." But upon second thought, he concluded that there
would be "no fuu" in having our house ready-made for
us, and magnanimously declared that if he had the won-
derful lamp in his hands that minute, with full power to
summon up the obedient genius, and set him to work, he
would not do it.

" I hope you would make him supply us with a few good
axes, Johnny, at least," said Browne.

But Johnny was disposed to be very self-denying and
high-minded ; he did not think he ought to do it ; we should
take a great deal more pleasure in our house if we made it
ourselves, without any magical assistance of any kind.

"Now, that you mention axes," said Morton, "it occurs
to me that thef e is an old hatchet-head among the rubbish

190 ABOUT TBWA.

in the locker of the yawl, and though it is a good deal
battered and worDj it could be fitted with a handle and
made useful."

We all now remembered having seen it, though no one
had before thought of it. Arthur suggested that wo
should make an excursion to Palm Islet as soon as the
heat of the day was over, and the sea-breeze had set in,
for the purpose of getting the hatchet, and bringing the
boat round to the side of the island where we intended to
fix our residence, as we might have occasion for its use.
**We can get there before dark," said he, "and pass the
night once more at our old quarters on the little islaiid ;
then we can row back ia the fresh of the mornings before
suni'ise, and bo I'eady to commence our building in
earn eat."

THE CORAL REEF. 191

CHAPTER XIX,

THE COKAL REEF.

lOIIt'^r AND THE CHAXIA — AMATEUR PEARL-DIVlNfl A tli^MK

BLOCKADE — CULINARY GENIUS.

*

" Down in the depths of the lonely sea,
I work at my mystic masonry;
I've crusted the plants of the deep with stone,
And given them colouring* not their own ;
And now o'er the ocean fields they spread
Their fan-like branches of white and red ;
Oh ! who can fashion a work like me,
The mason of God, in the boundless sea."

Late in the afternoon, when the slanting beams of tho
Bun began to lose their fiercenesSj and the heat was tem-
pered by the breeze setting in from the ocean, we descended
to the beach, and set out for the eastei-n side of the island,
in accordance with Arthur's suggestion, mentioned at the
close of the last chapter. As we made our way across Sea-
bird's Point, the clamorous cries of the gannets, raising
their harsh voices to the highest pitch, in angry remon-
strance against this invasion of their domain, were almost
deafening. They might well be alarmed for the safety of
their nesta — or rather of their eggs, which they lay upon
the bare ground, without any attempt at a nest — for they
strewed the whole point so thickly that it was no easy

192 THE C'URAL REEF.

matter to pick one's way without treading upon them at
every alternate step. In nearly every tree were to be
seen the rude nests of the frigate-bird, built of a few coarse
sticks ; and numbers of the birds themselves, with their
singular blood-red pouches inflated to the utmost extent,
were flying in from the sea. The large sooty tern, the
graceful tropic bird, and the spruce, fierce-looking man-of-
war's hawk, with his crimson bill, and black flashing eye,
flew familiarly around us, frequently coming so near, that
we could easily have knocked them down with our cut-
lasses, had we been inclined to abuse, so wantonly, the
confidence which they seemed to repose in us.

When half-way across the point, I came suddenly upon
a magnificent male tropic bird, sitting in his nest behind
a tussock of tall, reedy grass. He did not ofibr to quit his
post, even when the others approached very near, and
paused to admire him ; being apparently engaged, in the
absence of his mate, in attending to certain domestic du-
ties, generally supposed to belong more appropriately to
her. He was somewhat lai'ger than a pigeon, and was a
very beautiful bird, though not so brilliantly coloured as
several other species of sea-fowl. His plumage, soft and
lustrous as satin, was of a delicate pearly grey, except the
long middle-feathers of the tail, which were of a pale red,
and projected full a foot and a half beyond the rest. He
manifested not the slightest fear, even when Johnny stooped
and stroked his glossy coat. Just as we left the spot, the
partner of this exemplary bird arrived, and hastened to
relieve him from duty, giving him notice to quit, by two of
three quick, Impatient chirps, and a playful peck upon the
head, whereupon he resigned his place, into which the
other immediately settled, with a soft, complacent, cooing

tllE CORAL REEF. 193

Hot^, as expressive of perfect content, as the purring of a
well-fed tabby, stretched cosily upon the eartli-rng before
a cheerful winter evening fire. This transfer was effected
so quickly, that Johnny was baffled in an ill-bred attempt
which he made to pry into the domestic concerns of the
affectionate pair, and he could not get even a transient

glimpse of the contents of the nest.

Without permitting ourselves to be tempted into any
further deviation or delay, we kept steadily along the
beach, until we arrived, a little before sunset, at the spot
where the yawl lay, drawn up on the sand, opposite the
islet.

Max declared that after our long march, we ought to
have a supper consisting of something more substantial
than cocoa-nuts, and proposed that we should pull over to
the reef, and procure some shell-fish, which proposition
meeting with general approval, we got the boat into the
water, and in five minutes reached the inside of the ledge,

and lauded upon it at a point about a quarter of a mile
from the opening through which we had first entered the
lagoon. In this place, it was some fifteen or twenty yards
in width, and consisted of a seamed and broken flat of dead
coral, elevated but slightly above the level of the sea.
Though there was no wind, and had been none during th*
day, the mighty billows of the open ocean came rolling in
upon the outer edge of the reef w^ith their accustomed
violence. The action of the trade-winds is upon the whole
BO steady and uniform, that when it does cease for short
periods, its effects coutiuue, and upon the windward side
of these coral-belted islands, there are breakers that never
("^ase to rage, even iu the calmest weather. No sight
COuVl be more graud and imposing, than that of theso

N

194 CORAL HiSEF.

euormous waves encountering the reef. Oi^e of tiiem would
sometimes extend along it a mile, or a mile and a lialf, in
an unbroken line. As it sweeps onward^ with a siow and
majestic movement, towering up, like a dark-blue moun-
tain, it seems as if nothing could resist its power, and you
almost tremble lest the solid barrier upon which you stand
should be hurled from its foundations. It meets the curv-
mgline of the reef with a tremendous concussion, and thus
suddenly arrested by the parapet of coral, reared from the
depths of the sea, it rises at once, throughout its entire
length, to the height of twelve or fifteen feet perpendicu-
larly, and stands for a moment as if conffealed in its pro-
gress ; then breaking with a hollow roar, it tails m a deluge
of foam and spi-ay, filling all the seams and crevices, and
marking their coui'se in lines df white upon the dark
ground of the ledge. Not the least striking feature of tlie
spectacle, was the multitude of fishes, of all shapes, colours,

and sizes, that could be seen suspended in the face of this
liquid wall, the very moment before it fell. How they

escaped being thrown upon the reef seemed inexplicable,
but they darted hither and thither at the very edge of the
ruUer, with the greatest apparent ease and security, and
ahnost invariably turned sea-ward just in time to save
themselves. Occasionally, however, some careless or un-
skilful individual, not sufficiently versed in this periloua
kind of navigation, suffered shipwreck, and was left gasp-
ing and floundering upon the coral.

While thus engaged in watching the bursting of the
waves upon the reef, I suddenly heard Johnny at a little
distance calling out lustily for help, and hastening to the
spot, I found him in one of the yawning crevices of the
coral rock, up to his neck in water, and struggling violentiy

THfi COftAL RfiEP. 196

to get out, in wLich he seemed to meet with opposition
from some object in the hole.

" Something has got me by the feet," he cried, as soon
as he saw me, " it is an enormous oyster, or a shell-fish of
some kind, and it pinches dreadfully."

I looked down into the water, and saw what, in fact,
seemed to be a gigantic shell-fish, griping both his legs:
it retained its hold so tenaciously, that I found I could not
extricate him, and when Arthur came up, as he did in a
moment, it was as much as we could both do, to lift him
and his singular captor, which still clung obstinately to
him, out of the crevice. "We were then obliged to pry
open the shells with our cutlasses before we could release
him.

Arthur pronounced this extraordinary shell-iish, to be a
specimen of the " Cliama Gigas." The shells were nearly
three feet in length, and curiously marked and clouded.
Johnny had slipped from the slimy edge of the chasm, and
happened to fall fairly into the expanded jaws of the
chama, which had instantly closed upon him. If the
water had been deeper, the consequences might have been
serious, as there are instances of persons being drowned,
by having their feet caught in the vice-like gripe of this

formidable bivalve.

Not far from the scene of Johnny's mishap, was a green
spot upon the reef, where a group of young trees seemed
to spring up out of the bare coral. On approaching the
place, we found that a little island, about the size of Palm-
islet, was there in process of formation. Notwithstanding
the exposed and barren character of the locality, and the
scantiness of the soil, which was not anywhere a foot in
depth; it was covei-ed with a thrifty vegetation, among

lOB tfli CORAL RisEF.

whicli were several well grown-palms, a group of young
casuarinas, and some ferns aud tournefortias. Xor waa
thia embryo islet destitute of inhabitants. The trees were
at this hour filled with aquatic birds, and I observed
among them one remarkable species, long-bodied, and slen-
der, like swallows, with red bills aud feet, white breast,
aud slate-coloured wings ; these, instead of perching, like
the rest of their feathered associates, upon the trees, nes-
tled in the concavity of the long palm-leaves, far enough
from the stem, to be rocked gently by the undulating
motion of the leaf, which a breath of wind, or the sliglitest
stirring of the birds in these swinging nets was sufficient
to produce. But by far the most numerous and siugidar
portion of the population of the islet, consisted of a species
of large land-crab, inhabiting burrows hollowed out beneat}i
the roots of the trees. Great numbers of them appeared
to be bathing or sporting in the shallow water on the
lagoon side of the islet, but at sight of us, they scrambled
oflf to their burrows with a degree of agility that could
hardly have been expected from such clumsy-looking
creatures. Owing partly to this unlooked-for rapidity of
locomotion, and partly to a natural shyness and hesitation
which we felt about handling them rashly (their pincer-
like jaws, with half a dozen pairs of which each individual
seemed to be provided, having a rather formidable appear-
ance), they escaped before we could capture even a speci-
men. Johnny forthwith posted himself in ambush among

a bunch of fern, and riveting his eyes upon one of the
burrows at the foot of a young cocoa-nut tree, waited im-
patientl/ for the crabs to venture forth once more. In a
few moments a patriarchal-looking old fellow emerged
cautiously from the hole, and was presently followed by

THE COnAL nTifiF. 197

several more. Johnny prudently delayed any hostile
movement, until they should get far enough from their
place of security to enable him to cut off their retreat ;
and, in the meantime, I wa3 greatly amused and interested

111 observing the ingenious method in which the patriarch
commenced operating upon a cocoa-nut which had fallen
to the ground near his den.

Managing his complicated apparatus of claws with sur-
prising dexterity, he seized the nut, and stripped off tho
outer husk in a twinkling ; then setting it upon one end,
he began to hammer away at the orifices through which
the stalk and root of the future tree make their way when
the nut germinates. Having at length removed the filling
up of these orifices, he inserted a claw, and actually split
the strong inner shell, dividing it neatly into halves. At
this stage of the proceedings, half a dozen greedy neigh-
bours, who had been looking oh, without offering a helping
claw, shufiied nimbly forward to share the spoil, and it was
curious to see how quickly they cleaned out the shell,
leaving not a particle of the kernel. Johnny seized this

as a favourable moment for a sally, and rushed forth cutlass
in hand, having adopted the discreet resolution of disabling
them, by lopping off those formidable claws, before coming
to close quarters. The sally, however, was premature, and
proved entirely unsuccessful, for the crabs backed and
sidled into their burrows with such expedition, that the
last of them disappeared before their assailant could get
within reach. Leavintr Johnnv to renew his ambuscade,

if so disposed, I proceeded along the reef, and found Max
and Browne bathing for the second time that day. They
had discovered a charming place for the purpose, where a

kind of oyal basin Wf^s formed b^ th^ lagoon setting into

198 THE COIUL REEF.

the inside of the reef. The water was deep and clear, so
that there was no danger of wounding the feet by meana
of shells or corals. Max had discovered what he supposed
to be an enormous pearl-oyster, attached to a wall of
coral, at the depth of five or six fathoms, and they were
diving for it alternately. Both succeeded in reaching it,
bu t it adhered so firmly to the rock by its strong beard,
that neither of the amateur pearl-divers could tear it ofi*,
and getting soon exhausted and out of breath, they aban-
doned the attempt.

The submarine scenery of the lagoon was in this spot
imusually varied and beautiful, and the basin formed a
bath, fit for the Nereids themselves. Numbers of different
kinds of shell-fish were attached to the coral branches, or
wedged into their interstices. Others were feeding, and
reflected the brightest colours with every motion. Purple
mullet, variegated rock-fish, and small ray-fish, were dart-
ing about near the bottom. Another species of mullet,

of a splendid changeable blue and green, seemed to be
feeding upon the little polypes protruding from the coral
tops. Shells, sea-plants, coral, and fishes, and the slightest
movement of the latter, even to the vibration of a tiny fin,
or the gentle opening of the gills in respiration, could be
seen with perfect distinctness in this transparent medium.
But what chiefly attracted attention, was the gay tints,
and curious shapes, of the innumerable zoophytes, or
"flower animals," springing up from the sides and bottom
of the basin, and unfolding their living leaves above their
limestone trunks or stems which encased them. Blue,
red, pink, orange, purple, and green, were among the
colours, and the variety of patterns seemed absolutely end-
less : they mimicked, in their manner of growth, the foliaf^e

THE COK^VL REEF. 100

Of treeSj the spreading autlers of the stag, globes, columns,
stars, feathery plumes, trailing vines, and all the
wildest and most graceful forms of terrestrial vegetation.
Nothing was wanting to complete this submarine shrub-
bery, even to the minutest details; there were mosses, and
ferns, and lichens, and spreading shrubs, and branching
trees ; bunches of slender thread-like stems, swaying gen-
tly with the motion of the water, might (except for their
pale, purplish, tint) pass for rushes, or tussocks of reedy
grass; and it required no effort of the imagination to see
fancifully shaped wild-flowers in the numerous varieties of
actinise, or sea anemones, many of which bore the closest
resemblance to wood-pinks, asters, and carnations. The
imitations of these flowers were in some cases wonder-
fully perfect, even to their delicate petals, which were
represented by the slender, fringe-like tentacles of the
living polype, protruding from its cell. Besides these
counterparts of land vegetation, there were waving sea-
fans, solid masses of sponge-coral, clubs of Hercules, madre-
pores, like elegantly-formed vases filled with flowers, dome-
like groups of astrsese, studded with green and purple span-
gles, and a thousand other shapes, so fantastic and peculiai*,
that they can be likened to no other objects in nature.

Johnny having got tired of lying in wait for the crabs,
came to watch the swimmers and search for shells. In
the course of frequent beach excursions with Mr. Frazer,
he had picked up the names, and chief distinguishing
characteristics of the principal genera of marhie shells, in
consequence of which he had at length come to regard
himself as quite a conchologist, and was ambitious of
making a " collection," like other naturalists, in which
design Arthur encouraaed and assisted him.

200 THE CORAL REE7.

Joiuiiig me, where I was lying upon a flat ledge, peer-
iug down into the basin, he presently espied a Triton's
trumpet, moi'e than a foot in length, in some five fathoms
of water, and pointing it out to Max, he begged him to
dive for itj earnestly assuring him that he had never seen

80 fine a specimen of the "Murex Tritonica." But the
iati^r very decidedly declined sacrificing his bi'eath in tho
3au3e of science, declaring that he had completely ex-
hausted himself by his exertions in pearl-diving.

Eiulo coming up at the moment with a number of shell-
fish which he had obtained, Johnny appealed to him for
aid, and not in vain, for as soon as the much-coveted shell
was pointed out to him, he threw off his wrapper, and
plunging into the water, almost instantly returned with
it. ]Max now showed him the supposed pearl-oyster,
and challenged him to make an attempt to bring it up,
Eiulo laughed, and nodded his acceptance of the challenge:
after pausing a moment to take breath, he dived perpen-
dicularly downward, reaching the shell easily with a few
strokes, and made one or two vigorous but ineffectual jerks
at it J then, just as I thought him about to give it up, and
ascend again, he grasped it with both hands, brought liis
feet under him, and bracing himself firmly against the
wall of coral, he wrenched it off, and bore the prize in
triumph tc the surface. It proved to be a pearl-oyster, as
Max had supposed, and on being opened was found to con-
tain eleven seed-pearls. Eiulo presented the shell and its
contents to Johnny, who seemed to value the former, quite
as much as ths latter, and presently ra,n off in search of
Arthur, to inquire whether it should properly be classed
with the "genus ostrea," or the "genus mytilus.'"

4-fter watching the swimmers a little longer, I stroll^(i

THE CORAL REEF. 201

along the reef, in the direction which Johnny had taken in
pursuit of Arthur, stopping occasionally to watch the
bursting of a wave of uncommon magnitude, or to examine
some of the interesting objects that were strewn with
such profusion in every direction, and which rendered that
barren ledge so choice a spot for the studies of the natura-
list. Some ten or fifteen minutes had been thus employed,
and it was beginning to grow dark, so that Arthur and
Johnny, whom I had not yet overtaken, could be but just
distinguished, like two specks in the distance, when I heard
the powerful A^oice of Browne, raised in a loud and pro-
longed halloo. Pausing to listen, I soon heard the cry re-
peated, in a manner that showed as I thought, that some-
thing unusual had taken place. Hastening back, I found
that Max and Browne had swum off to a coral knoll, in
the lagoon, a stone's throw from the reef, and dared not
venture back, being closely blockaded by a large fish
swimming about near the spot, which they supposed to be
a shark. They called loudly for me to come after them in
the boat, and to lose no time about it, as there was water

enough on the knoll, to enable a shark, if tolerably enter-
prising, to reach them where they stood. Though it was

rapidly getting dark, there was still sufficient light to
enable me to distinguish an enormous fish of some kind,
cruising back and forth, with the regularity of a sentinel
on duty, between the reef, and the shallow where Max and
Browne were standing up to their knees in water. The
case appeared to admit of no delay, and jumping into the
boat, I pulled over to the coral patch with all possible
speed, passing the fish close enough to see that it was in
fact a large shark, and he proved ako to be an exceedingly
fierce £tnd ravenous qu^. It almost seemed as though he

202 THE CORAL REEF.

understood my errand, for he followed, or rather attended
me, closely, keeping so near the bow of the boat that it was

with great difficulty and some danger, that I at length got
the blockaded swimmers aboard. When this was effected,
his disappointment and consequent bad temper were quite
apparent ; he swam round and round the boat in the most
disturbed and agitated manner as we returned, making a
variety of savage demonstrations, and finally going so far as
to snap spitefully at the oars, which he did not discontinue,
until Browne had two or three times rapped him smartly
over the nose. After landing in safety, Max pelted him
with shells and pieces of coral rock, until he finally swam
off.

Meantime, Arthur and Johnny had returned from their
wandering along the reef; the latter had come across
another colony of crabsj and had succeeded in capturing three
of them, or rather two and a half, for having, as he fondly
imagined, disabled one enormous fellow by hacking him in
two with his cutlass, the one half had scrambled into the
hole, while Johnny was securing the other.

We now placed the chama shells, the crabs, and other
shell-fish, together with Johnny's specimens, to which he
had added a splendid madrepore vase, in the boat, and as
soon as the swimmers were dressed, we pulled over to Palm
islet. Here we arranged a tent in the same manner as we
had done on the memorable night when we first readied
these shores. Max then kindled a fire, and prepared tc
cook our supper. The shell-fish were easily managed by
placing them upon the embers, but the crabs, which it was
necessary to boil, and which were of the size of small lob-
sters, presented a more difficult case. Max's culinai'y
genius, however, stimulated by a keen appetite, eventually

THE CORAL REEF. 203

trvnmplied over every obstacle. He procured a number of
stones, which he heated in the fire ; then filling one of the
deep and rounded chama shells with water, he proceeded
to drop the heated stones into it, using a couple of sticks
as a pair of tongs. This process he continued until the
water boiled, when he remorselessly piunged the unhappy
crabs therein, and irom time to time dropped in more of
the heated stones, until the cookery was comple**?.

4^

04 ARTHUR S STORT.

CHAPTEB XX,

ARTHITR^S STOUT.

BROWNE ON "tuK KXIOHTLY CllARACTKK^— ROKOA.— lUl

CANNIBAL ISLAND OF AVGATAN,

"This is no Grecian fable of fountains running wine.
Of hags with snaky tresses, and sailors turned to swine*
On yonder teeming island, under the noon day sun,
\w sig^t of many people, these stran;je, dark deeds were done.'

Having made a hearty and satisfactoiy supper, and con-
cluded the meal with a draught of cocoa-nut milk, we sat
down, Uke the patriarchs of old, " in the door of our tent,"
facing the sea, to enjoy the freshness of the evening breeze.

Johnny, after having settled it to his own entire satis-
faction^ that the shell in which his pearls had been found,
was properly a mussel, and not an oyster ; and having also,
by Arthur's help, resolved his doubts and difficulties,
toucliing divers other knotty points in conchology ; sue-
cessively raised and canvassed the gi*ave and edifying ques-
tions — 'Whether there actually were such creatures as
mermaids ? — whether sea-ser|>ents were indigenous to the
neighbourhood of Cape Cod and Massachusetts Bay? — ■
whether the nari-atives of ancient and modern voyagei-s,
ip regard to Krakeixs, and gigantic Polypes, with feelers

Of arms as long as a ship's main-mast, had any fomi Jation
in fact, or were to be looked upon as sheer fabrications ?—
and, finally, whether the hideous and revolting practice of
cannibalism, really prevailed among the inhabitants of
certain groups of islands in the Pacific 1

" This puts me in mind, Arthur," said Johnny, suddenly,
while the last-mentioned subiect was under discussion, "of
a promise you made during the voyage, to tell me a story
about a cannibal island upon which you were once cast,
and the adventures you met with there. This is a good
time to tell it : it is quite early, and the night so beautiful,
that it would be a shame to think of going to bed for two
or three hours yet ; for my part, I feel as though I could
sit here all night without getting sleepy."

"A happy thought, Johnny," said Browne, "it will be
the pleasantest possible way of passing the evening ; there-
fore, A rtliur, let us have the story."

*' O yes, the story ! let us have the cannibal story by all
means !" cried Max, "this is just the hour, and the place,
to tell it with effect. The dash of the surf upon the reef ;

the whispering of the night wind in the tree tops ; the tall
black groves on the shore yonder, and the water lying
blacker still in their shadow, will all harmonize admix'ably
with the subject."

"I believe I did promise Johnny an account of an unin-
tentional visit I once made to a place known as ' the Can-
nibal Island of Angatan,' and I have no objection to redeem
my pledge now, if desired. I wish you to take notice,
however, at the outset, in order to avoid raising false
expectations, that I do not promise you a * Cannibal
Story' — how much my narrative deserves such a title, will
appear when you have heard it."

206 ARlMtfR S STORt

The call for the story being quite eager and unanimous,
Arthur settled himself into a comfortable position, and
after giving one or two of those preliminary ahems, com-
mon to the whole fraternity of story-tellers from time
immemorial, he proceeded as follows :

ARTHUR'S STORY

OF THE CANNIBAL ISLAND OF ANGATAN

"About a year and a half ago, and just before the time
when I was to sail for the United States to complete my
preparation for the seminary, I was induced to embark
upon a voyage to the Palliser Islands, planned by a young
chief of Eimeo, named Rok6a, and a Mr. Barton, aji Ameri-
can trader residing at the island. The object of the young
chief in this expedition, was to ascertain the fate of an
elder brother, who had sailed for Anaa, or Chain island,
several months before, with the intention of returning im-
mediately, but who had never since been heard from:
that of Mr. Eax'ton, was to engage a number of Hao-divers,
for a pearl-fishing voyage, contemplated by him in connec-
tion with another foreign trader. He did not himself em-
bark with us ; but his son, a young man, two or three years

my senior, accompanied ua instead, to make the necessary
arrangements for engaging the divers, and also to purchase
any mother-of-pearl, pearls, and tortoise-shell, which the
natives might have to dispose of, at such places as we
Bhould visit. With a view to the latter purpose, he was
provided with a supply of trinkets and cheap goods of
various kinds^ such as are used in this species of traffic.
At the Society Islands^ the natives had learned the fair

ARTHUR'S STORt. 207

value of tlicir commodities, and would no longer exchange
even their yams, bread-fruit, and cocoa-nuts, for beads,
spangles, and fragments of looking-glasses ; but among the
smaller groups, lymg farther to the eastward, where the
intercourse with Europeans was comparatively infrequent,
these, and similar articles, were still in great demand, the
simple islanders readily giving rich shells, and valuable
pearls, in barter for them. I accompanied the expedition,
r. t the request of Ilok6a, and with scarcely any other object
than to gratify him; though I was made the bearer of
letters, and some trifling presents to a Tahitian native
missionary, who had recently gone to Hao, to labour there,
I had long known both Kok6a and his brother, now sup-
posed to be lost. The former was a remarkable and
interesting character. He had accompanied my uncle and
myself on a voyage to Hawaii, and visited with us the
great volcano of Kilauea, on that island, said to be by
far the grandest and most wonderful in the world, not
excepting Vesuvius itself. In making the descent into the
crater, and while endeavouring to reach what is called the
Black Ledge, he saved my life at the imminent hazard of
his own. It was upon that voyage, that I first became
acquainted with him. We afterwards travelled together,
tJiroiigh the most wild and inaccessible parts of tlie interior
of Tahiti and Eimeo ; and in the course of this intimacy, I
discovered much in him to esteem and admire. There was
in his character, such a union of gentleness and courage,
such childlike openness of disposition, and such roman-
tic fidelity to what he considered the obligations of
friendship, as reminds me of young Edmund, in Johnny's
favourite story of Asiauga'a Knight. With a chivalrous
daz'ing. that could face the most appalling danger without

SOS AilTHOfe'ti stottt*.

a tremor, was united an almost feminine delicacv of charao-
ter, truly remarkable in a savage."

" Thatj" said Browne, "is the true ideal of the knightly
character — courage, which nothing can daunt, but without
roughness or ferocity even in the hour of mortal combat
Tiie valour of the knight is a high sentiment of honour
devotion, loyalty ; it is calm, gentle, beautiful, and is thus
distinguished from the mere animal courage of the ruffian,
which is brutal, fierce, and crueL"

" I think I shall like Rokoa," said Johnny, rubbing hia
hands together in token of satisfaction, "and I guess this
is going to be an intei'esting story; there will be some
fighting in it, I expect."

" Of course, there will be plenty of fighting," said Max,
" or else what is the meaning of tliis pi*eliminary flourish
of trumpets, .about Eokoa's chivalrous courage, and all

that 1 "
" I once more give fair and timely notice, in order to

prevent disappointment, that I am merely relating a sober
narrative of facts, and not improvising one of Max's florid
romances about Sooloo pirates, Spanish bandits, Italian
bravos, or the robbers of the Hartz mountains."

" Or enchanted castles, captive princesses, valiant knights,
fire-breathing dragons, and diabolical old magicians," added
Browne, "which formed the staple of a highly edifying
tale with which I overheard him entertaining Johnny the
other afternoon at Castle-hill, as we were taking our siesta
in the shade."

" And a capital story it was, too," said Johnny, " but gt.

on, Arthur, please."

" Well, every thing being arranged for our voyage, we
set sail in a large * Vaa Motu,' or single canoe, fuz'nished

Arthur's story. 209

with a great outrigger, and manned by a cre^r of nino
natives. Our cargo consisted of Barton's stock of goods
for trading with the islanders, and a quantity of stained
tappa, fine mats, shark's teeth, &c., which Eok6a had laid
iu for purposes of his own.

" The commencement of the voyage was pleasant and
auspicious. "We set out in the morning, with a fine wes-
^rly breeze, which is of rare occurrence in that latitude,
aid early in the afternoon we passed the high island of
Meetia, just in sight to the southward, showing that we
had made at least seventy miles, in about nine hours.
The wind continued steady and fair, and the next day at
sunset, we reached Anaa. Here we remained only long
ejjough to enable !Rok6a to obtain all the information to
be had, that promised to throw any light upon the fate of
his brother. All that could be learned was, that a canoe
from Tahiti had touched here several months since, and
after obtaining a supply of water, had immediately sailed
for Motutunga, or Adventure Island, but from the de-
scription given us of the canoe, and of the number and
appearance of her company, there was little reason to be-
lieve that this was the party with which Iiok6a's brother
had embarked. Barton being anxious to improve the
favourable breeze, which still continued to blow with
unwonted steadiness from such a quarter, we resumed oiir
voyage, and steered eastward for Hao, on the day after
our arrival at Anaa.

" That night the weather sviddenly changed, and a storm

arose, the wind blow^ing strongly from the south-west.

Our crew became alarmed, and a part of them began to

clamour to rp.turn to Anaa, -which we might have done,

o

210 ARTHUR'S STORY.

by three en four hours' incessant paddhng, in the teeth of
the gale. Eokoa, howeverj believed that the weather
Would change again in the mox^ning, and determined to
continne on our course; we accordingly ran before the
windj witli barely sufficient sail to keep the canoe steady,
and enable us to steer her. The storm continued without
intermission or abatement for the next twenty-four hours,
contrary to Rokoa's prediction ; and to avoid the danger
of being swamped, we were obliged still to keep running
before it. The second night, at sunset, the wind fell, and
in the morning, the sea had become tolerably smooth,

with only a moderate breeze blowing. But though the
gale had ceased, tlie weather was still thick, and the sky
so obscured by clouds that we could not see the sun, or
even fix upon the quarter of the heavens in which he
stood. Thus, those means upon which the natives are
wont to rely for directing their course upon their long
voyages, wholly failed us. The canoe was furnished with
a small ship's comj^ass, a present to Rokoa from the mis-
sionaries, but this had been broken, by one of our crew
being thrown violently upon it during the storm, v^hile
Barton was consulting it, "We did not get even a glimpse
of the sun all that day; nor the next, until late in the
afternoon, when it cleared beautifully, and for the first
time since the loss of the compass, we were able to distin-
guish liorth from south, and east from west. We found
that we had got completely ' turned round,' as the phrase
is, and were heading due north; and we now put about,
and steered in what wc supposed to be the right direction.
At dawn the next day, we were surprised to find ourselves
in sight of a strange island, which none of us remembered
having seen before. A remai'kable looking black rock^

ARTHUR S STORY. 211

resembling tlic hull of a large man-of-warj rose abruptly
from the water about half a mile from the shore.

" Rokoaj who had sailed a great deal among the islands
east of Tahiti, and had visited most of them, could form
no conjecture in regard to the one now in sight. Presently
some of our crew began to whisper mysteriously together^
and the word was passed from one to another, that this
was no other than the ill-famed island of Angatan. I knew
that an island of that name^ the subject of a thousand bug-
bear stories, to which I had often incredulously listened,
was said to lie somewhere to the nortli of Hao ; but T had
never met with any one who could give me any definite
and satisfactory informatioii respecting it.

"According to general report, its inhabitants were can-
nibals, and were in the habit of murdering and devouring
all who were so unfortunate as to be cast upon their shores,
or who had the hardihood or temerity voluntarily to land

upon them. It was also said, that the island had nevei
been visited by white men; and, owing to the popular
belief in regard to the ferocious and warlike character of

its people, it is certain that the natives of the neighbour-
ing groups could uot, as a general thing, be induced by

any consideration to engage in a voyage having this re
puted cannibal island for its destination; voyages of this
kind having been sometimes contemplated, but never to
my knowledge actually undertaken.

" Among the other marvellous reports concerning An-
gatan, was one, to the effect that its inhabitants were pos-
sessed of immense hoards of pearls and shell, of the value
of which they were utterly ignorant.

" One of oiir crew, a garrulous Hao-man, and an inve-
terate boaster, declared that, about a year since, he had

212 Arthur's story.

embarked for Aiigatan with a party of Chain Islanders,
in a large double canoe, being tempted to incur the perils
of the enterprise, by the prospect of the enormous gains
that might be realised in trading with the natives, if a
friendly intercourse could once be opened with them. They
had succeeded in reaching the island ; but scarcely had
they set foot upon the shore, when they were attacked by
a party of the inhabitants, who issued suddenly from the
forest, and disregarding all their friendly signs and ges-
tures, fell upon them, and killed the greater part of their
number, the rest making their escape with difficulty, and
solely through the courage, presence of mind, and extra-
ordinary exertions of the narrator, without which they
must all infallibly have perished. He described the
islandei^ as fierce, wild-looking men, of gigantic stature,
armed with long spears, and heavy clubs set with sharks'

teeth, and wearing little or no clotliing ; yet, strange to
tell, around the necks of these almost naked savages were
strings of the richest pearls, instead of the common orna-
ments of ovula-shells.

" Our veracious Hao-man, most solemnly asseverated the
entire and literal truth of all these particulars, and de-
clared that the island before us was the veritable canni-
bal Angatan, the singular black rock enabling him, as he
said, to identify it beyond all doubt. To this story I waa
myself disposed to accord about the same degree of credit
as to the adventures of Sinbad the Sailor ; but it was easy
to perceive that our crew, far from being so sceptical,
were firm and unhesitating believers in Angatan, its man-
eating giants, its treasures of peai^l, and the whole cata-
logue of marvels current respecting it.

*' I was the less inclined to repose any confidence in the

ARTHtTR's STORY. 2l3

man's declarations, because all the best accounta located
Angatan far to the north of Hao and Amamjj -while wo

had reason to believe that we were now to the south-west
of them.

" Barton's curiosity and love of adventure, were stimu-
lated by what he had heard; perhaps, also, the hints which
had been dropped respecting rich shell and costly pearls,
were not without their due share of influence, and he de^
clared himself desirous of taking a closer look at this
* terra incognita,' respecting which such marvellous tales
were current. Bok6a, too, no sooner heard the firet whis-
pered conjecture of the identity of the place before us
with Angatan, than he resolved to land, notwithstanding
the evident reluctance of the crew, and the open remon-
strances and warnings of Sinbad. I suspected, I scarcely
know why, that he cherished a vague hope of being able
to gain here some clue to the fate of his missing brother.
On approaching the shore, we found that a heavy surf
broke upon it, but there was a good beach, and a landing
could be effected without much difficulty. We accord-
ingly took in our sail, and resorting to the paddles, made
for what seemed to be a favourable spot. Soon after pass-
ing the black rock before alluded to, I observed several
figures stealing along the shore, in the covert of a row of
mangrove bushes, and apparently watching our move-
ments. When we had reached the edge of the aurfj and
were preparing to dash through it, they came out of the
thicket, and with threatening gestures warned us away.
This created such a panic among our crew, that they could
not be prevailed upon to paddle nearer, Bok6a stood up
in the bow, and made such signs and gestures as are used
to indicate peaceful and friendly intentions, while Barton

^14 Arthur's story.

displayed some of his most iittractive-looking trinkets.
The people on shore now seemed to confer together, and
in a few moments, one of their number, who, from hia
stained tiputa of yellow and crimsou, appeared to be a
chief, or person of consequence, came down to the water's
edge, waving a green bough, and beckoning us to laud.
Our Sinbad pronounced this sudden apparent change in
their disposition towards us, to be a treacherous pretence,
designed to lure us ashore, in order that they might plun-
der, kill, and devour us ; but, as ho did not explain why,
if such was their object, they sliould in the first place have
menaced us as they had done, we gave little heed to hia
warnings. The party of natives did not seem greatly to
outnumber us, and were not particularly formidable in
their appearance. They were, as well as we could judge
at such a distance, of no more than the ordinary stature.
With the exce]>tion of the individual already referred to,
in the gay tiputa, they wore nothing but the maro, and

were armed with long speai's. Nevertheless, our crew
still refused to make any nearer approach, suspecting that

more of the natives were lurking among the mangroves,
ready to sally out upon us at the proj^er moment, if we
should venture to land.

" Bokoa, finding all attempts to overcome the cowardice
of our men unavailing, took a few ti*inket3 in his hand,
and springing overboard, swam through the surf to the
shore. The pei'sonage in the tiputa waited to receive him,
continuing to wave the green bi-anch, and to make amicable
signs. Eokoa advanced, and greeted him in the Tahition
fasiiion, by rubbing faces. The two then walked together
to the skirts of the wood, where the others still kept them-
selves, aud Rokoa, after distrilmtinii hia tx'inkets, camo

Arthur's stort. 1^15

down to the beach again, and beckoned us to come ashore,
supposing that onr crew might by this time be so far
reassured as to venture it. Sinbad was about to remon-
strate again, when Barton drew a pocket-pistol, with a pair
of which he was provided, and threatened to shoot him,
unless he kept quiet. This effectually silenced the croak-
ings of the Hao-man, for the time at least, and we finally
induced some of the others to take to the paddles, and
push t-hiough the surf to the spot where Rok6a awaited
us< As soon as the canoe wa ; beached, and we were all
fairly ashore, the natives came forward, somewhat hastily,
from the skirt of the wood, probably in the expectation of
receiving further presents; but our meUj mistaking this
sudden advance for a hostile movement, laid hold of the
canoe, and would have put her into the water again, had
not Ilok6a, armed with a heavy paddle, and backed by
Barton with his pistols, interfered with so much decision
and vigour, that their fears began to take a new direction
and they came to the sensible conclusion, that they had
better run the risk of being roasted and eaten by the
cannibals, than encounter the far more immediate danger
of having their heads broken by the club of their chief, or
their bodies bored through by the pistol-balls of the young
Papal an gi.

" On the other hand, the leader of the party of natives
spoke to them, and restrained their unpatience ; then ad-
vancing before the rest, he waved his hand, and throwiiie;
himself into an oratorical attitude, made a little speech,
thanking Eok6a for his gifts, and welcoming us to the
island. The language which he spoke was a dialect of the
Tahitian, differing from it so slightly that I had no dif-
ficulty in uu.lerstaudlng what he said.

S16 A.iri:Li.-fci ZZZK'I.

" When lie had finished, Kolu'a made an appropriate
reply, accordiug to the rules of Polynesian etiquette. He
commenced by paying our gaudily-attired friend some
florid compliments. He then gave a graphic account of
our voyage, describing the storm which we had encoun-
tered iu such terms, that our escape must have seemed
little short of a miracle; and concluded by stating the
manner in whicli we had been driven from our course, and
finally reached the island. The natives listened atten-
tively, and signified their sense of Eok6a's eloquence by
frequent exclamations of *Maitai! maitail' (good! good!)
and by nodding their heads emphatically at the end of
every sentence."

THE CANJHlC^VL viUAaa.

CHAPTEn XXI,

TUR CANNIBAL ^-ILLAGE,

VUlt y\RAE AND TUE 1»R1EST — MOWNO At UOMK — CANNIBAL ^OVl*

LADIKS— OI.LA AXD HER FRIENDS.

"And there, with awful rites, the hoary priest,
Beside tli;it moss-grown heathen altar stood,
Uis dusky form in magic cincture dressed.
And made the offering to his hideous god."

" So tlicii," said Browne, interrupting Arthur's narra-
tive, " thea** two parties of savages, instead of going to
■work, "knocking (jack others brains oiit^ as one might na-
turally have expected, actually commenced entertaining
one another with set speeches, very much like the mayor
and aldermen of a city corpoz*ation receiving a deputauon
of visiters I "

" Tliere is," replied Arthur, " an ahuost childish fondness
of form and ceremony among all the Polynesian tribes, ^3
is seen at their high feasts and festivals, their games, and
religious rites. The chiefs and priests are in the habit of
maki:ng little orations upon a variety of occasions, when
this is expected of them. Formerly there existed in the
Society Islands, a class of persons called Rautis, or orators
of battle, whose exclusive business it was to exhort the

21*^ THE CANNIBAL VILLAGE.

people in time of war, and on the eve of an enga^rement.

^""0

Even during tlie heat of conflictj they mingled with the
combatants, and strove to animate and inflame their
courage, by recounting the exploits of their ancestors, and
urging every motive calculated to excite desperate valour
and contempt of death. Some very remarkable instances
of the powerful effect produced by the eloquence of these
Rautis are recorded, showing that they constituted a by
no means useless or ineffective part of a native army. The
islanders almost universally have a taste for oratory, by
which they are easily affected; and they hold those who
excel in it in high estimation."

" It would appear then," said Browne, " that they are
not such utter heathens after all ; I should never have
given them credit for so much taste and sensibility,"

"You see, Browne," said Max, ''what advantages you

will enjoy over the rest of us, when we get to Eiulo's

island, as Johnny is confident we are destined to do, one of
these days. You shall then astonish the simple inhabitants,
with Pitt's reply to Wal^^ole, or ' Now is the winter of our
discontent,' and gain advancement in the state, by your
oratorical gifts. Who knows but you may rise to be prime-
minister, or chief Rauti, to his majesty the king ? "

" Pray, let Arthur proceed with his story," said Morton,
laughing, '■' I see that Johnny is beginning to grow im-
patient : he probably thinks it high time for the cannibals
to be introdaced, and the fighting to commence."

" Well," resumed Arthur, " as soon as the speecli-making
was over, the natives, who seemed thus far, quite friimdly
and inoffensive, came forward once more, and we all went
through the ceremony of rubbing faces, with a great show
of cordiality; though it was easy to perceive that our party

THE CANNIBAL VILLAGE. 219

were still under the influence of secret fears and mis-

* •

givmgs.

" Barton and I, received more than our due proportion
of these civilities, and from the wondering exclamations of
our new acquaintances as they examined the articles which
composed our dress, and their remarks to one another upon
our complexion, I inferred that some of them at least, had
never seen a white person before. Barton, in particular,
attracted a large share of their attention, owing probably
to a complexion rather florid, and uncommonly fair, not-
withstanding a two years' residence within the tropics,
which, together with his light hair and blue eyes, afibrded
a striking contrast to the tawny skins and long black elf-
locks of the natives.

" The chief of the party, who had acted as spokesman,
was called Mowno. He was a young man, with a hand-
some, boyish face, expressive of good-nature and indolence.
Xlok6a walked a2:>art with him to make inquiries, as I had
no doubt, connected with the subject of his brother's fate.
Meanwhile Barton produced a piece of tortoise-shell, and
some pearls, which he exhibited to the natives, asking
whether they had any articles of the kind ; but after care-
lessly looking at them, they shook their heads, and inquired
what such things were good for ; whereupon Barton,
easting an annihilating glance at the disconcerted Sinbad,
significantly demanded of him what had become cf those
necklaces of pearls, worn by the natives of Angatan, and
whether these simple, inoffensive people, were the gigantic
cannibals, about whom he had manufactured such enor-
mous lies.

" After Mowno had concluded his confereiice with Hokoa,
he led us to a large building near the beach, in a verj

220 THE CAJTNIBAL VILLAGE.

rumous aud decayed state, and compJetely overshadowed
by aged tamanu-trees. It seemed, from its size and pecu-
liar structure, to be a deserted marae, or native temple.
He then sent away two of his people, who soon returned
with several clusters of cocoa-nuts, and some bananas, for
our refreshment. On learning that the supply of water
which we had taken in for our voyage, was nearly ex:-
hausted, he informed us that there was no spring or stream,
nearer than his village, which was some two miles inland,
and promised to have a supply sent us during the day.
They had come down to the shore, as we now learned, for
the purpose of cutting mangrove roots, from which they
make large and powerful bows, and the whole party soon
left us at the maras, and proceeded to the beach ; in about
an hour we saw them depart inland, carrying fagots of

these roots, without taking any further notice of us.

" It had fallen calm soon after sunrise, so that we could
not for the present have resumed our voyage, had we been
so inclined,

" About half an hour before noon, a number of the natives
whom we had seen in the morning, again made their ap-
pearance, with several large calabashes of water, aud a
quantity of taro and bread-fruit for our use. Eokoa dis-
tributed among them sonio trifling presents, which they

hastily concealed among the folds of their maros. A few
moments afterwards Mowno himself emerged from the
grove, attended by the remainder of the party we had seen
ift the mox-ning. There was now a further distribution of
presents, when I perceived the r.,ason why the first comers
had so hastily concealed the trifles which had been given
them. All presents, no matter on whom bestowed, seemed
to be regarded as the especial perquisites of the chief, and

THE CANNIBAL VILLAGE. 221

a youth, who acted as Mowno's personal attendant, pre-
sently went ronnd among the others, collecting and taking
possession of everything which he had seen them receive.
This was submitted to without remonsti'ance, and appar-
ently as a matter of coui-se, though by no means cheerfully.
" Soon after this somewhat autocratic proceeding, Mowno

4

turned abruptly to Barton, and saying that he must now
return to the village, invited him to go with him to visit
it. Barton, appearing to hesitate, the chief pressed the
matter so earnestly that his suspicions were aroused, and
he peremptorily declined. Mowno's angry looks evinced
his displeasure, and after walking about for a quarter ot
an hour in sullen silence, with very much the demeanour ot
a spoiled child thwarted in his whim, he at length made a
fiirailar request of me, letting drop at the same time, some
expression to the effect that one of us must go with him.
Fortunately Kokua, wliose high spirit would have taken
instant offence at the least semblance of a threat, did not
hear this. I saw plainly, that for some reason, the young
chief had set his heart upon having either Barton or my-
self visit his village, and I suspected this was, in fact, the
sole object of his return. I observed, also, that his party
was somewhat more numerous, and much better armed

>

than it had been in the morning, and I had no doubt, that
rather than suffer himself to be baffled in his purpose, he
would resort to force to accomplish it.

" After a moment's reflection, I was ])retty well satisfied
that I had noihing to fear from acceding to hLs request,
believing, as I did, that I understood the motive of it. T
thought, too, that a refusal, would in all probability lead
to an instant hostile collision between the natives and our-
•elves, and I finally resolved to accept, or moi'e accuratpJf

*222 THE CANNIBAL VILLAGE.

speaking, to yield to, the invitation. Having come to tliis
conclusion, I told Mowno that I would go with him^ upon
the condition that I should return before night, to which
he readily assented, showing extreme satisfaction at having
finally succeeded in his wishes. I gave no credit to tho
allege'I cannibal propensities of the islanders, and was in-
clined from what I had already seen, to think much more
favourably of them than the event justified. I supposed
that the curiosity of the people of the village had been ex-
cited by the reports of those who had seen us in the
morning, respecting the pale-faced strangers, and that
Mowno's only object in insisting as he did, on having
Barton or myself go with him, was to gratify some aged
chief, who was too infirm to come down to the shore to see
ns, or did not want to take the trouble of doing so."
"Wellj was you x^ght in your conjecture.?" inquired

Browne.

" Yes, partially at least ; there was, I think, no unfriendly
motive as far as Mowno was concerned. What designs
others of the natives may have entertained I will not at
present undertake to say. But instead of some super-
annuated chief, it was the curiosity of Mowno's young wife
that waa to be gratified. On hearing his account of the
white strangers, slie had despatched him forthwith back
to the shore, to bring them to the village ; which commis-
sion, it seemed, he was resolved faithfully to execute, at
every hazard."

"Eeally," said Browne, "civilization must have made
some considerable progress in Angatan, if the savages
there make such docile and complaisant husbands,"

" Tliis was not an ordinary case," replied Arthur ; " in the
first place, Mowno was an uncommonly good-natured sort

THE CANNIBAL VILLAGE. 223

of a savage ; then he had a very pretty, persuasive little
wife, and ho had not yet been long enough married, U
have entirely merged the zeal and devotion of the lover,
in the easy indiiference, and staid authority of the husband ;
but this is anticipating.

"When I informed Rokoa of the young chief's invitation,
and my acceptance of it, he refused to consent to my going,
except upon the condition that he should accompany me,
and share whatever danger might attend the step. Mowuo
acquiesced in this arrangement, though I thought he did
not seem to be altogether pleased ■with. it. Barton, also,
on learning that Kokoa and myself had concluded to go
to the village, resolved to accompany us. Mowno was
impatient to have us set out at once, and Ilok6a having
given some directions to the crew as to their conduct during
our absence, we hastily made our pre2:)aratious, and in a
few moments after the matter had been decided upon, the
whole pax^ty left the shore and entei'ed the forest. A
quarter of an hour's walk brought us to a flourishing
bread-fruit plantation, which we passed througli without
seeing a single dwelling, or any indications of inhabitants.
This was bounded by a wild ravine, crossing which, we
entered a dense and gloomy grove, composed almost en-
tirely of the sacred miro, and one other kind of tree, the
branches of which sprang horizontally from the trunk in a
series of whorls, one above another, twisting round from
left to right, and clothed with broad leaves of so dark a
green as to seem almost black. Near the centre of this
grove, we came suddenly upon a large marae, built princi-
pally of loose stones, overgi'own with moss and lichens. It
was a spacious, uncovered iuclosurO; the front of which
consisted of a stroncr bamboo fence, while the three ro-

224 THE CANNIBAL VILLAGE.

maining sides were of stone. Witliiu the inclosure, at cue
side, "Was a small building, pi'obably the priest's dwelling,
and in the centre arose a solid pyramidal structui-e, on the
terraced sides of which were ranged the misshapen figures
of several gigantic idols. In front of this, and between
four rude tumuli of broken coral, was a low platfoi'm, sup-
ported by stakes, and resembling the altars used for human
sacrifices, during the ancient reign of heathenism in Tahiti.
Beneath this platform, or altar, was a pile of hnmaii BkuUs;
and suspended from the trees, were the shells of enormous

F

turtles, and the skeletons of fishes. A hideous-looking old
man, whom I supposed to be the priest, sat in the door of
the small building, within the inclosure, and looking in-
tently at me, made strange faces as we passed by. His
skin was sallow, and singularly speckled, probably from
some cutaneous disease ; he had no eyebrows, and his eyea
were small and glittering like those of a snake ; in his
countenance there was a mingled expression of cunning

and cruelty that made me shudder. When we were near-
est to him in passing, he struck himself violently on the

breast, and cried out in a strong but dissonant voice,
pointing with his long, skeleton fingers, towards the young
chief: — 'Mowno, son of Maloa, rob not the servant of Ore
of a priest's share!' so at least, I understood the words
which he uttered; but the natives hurried on, without
seeming to pay any attention to him."

" That would have frightened me mortally," interrupted
Johnny. " I should have thought that they were going

to make a cannibal feast of nie, and that the wicked old
priest was speaking for his share."

" Well, I confess that some notion of the sort tla^hed
aeross my mind for a moment. The dark grove, the great

■tHE CANNIBAL VILLAGE. S2S

idolatrous looking marae, with its heathen altar, and mon-
strous images ; the pile of skulls ; the hideous old man and
his strange words ; all tended to suggest vague but start-
ling suspicions. But another glance at the open and
friendly countenances of our guides reassured me. In
answer to a question in regard to the building which we had
just passed, Mowno said, with a natiiral and indifferent
air, that it was the house of Oro, where a great solemnity
was soon to be celebrated; and althoiigh I did not allude
to the skulls, he added that they were a part of the remains
of the priests, who had been buried within the inclosure,
and which were now, in accordance with an established
custom, placed beneath the altar. The dark wood was
bounded by a charming valley, with a brook running
through it, and I was glad to escape from its gloomy shade,

into the cheerful light, "We forded the shallow stream,
which was so clear that every pebble in its gravelly bed
was visible, and found ourselves at the foot of a long, green
slope. Before us, lying partly in the valley, and straggling
half-way up the ascent, was a pretty village. The neat
and light-built native dwellings dotted the side of the

slope, or peeped out from among embowerhig trees along
the banks of the brook, in the most picturesque manner.
The thatching of the cottages, bleached to an almost snowy
whiteness, offered a pleasing contrast to the surrounding
verdure. Troops of children were pursuing their sports
in every direction. Some were wading in the stream, sail-
ing tiny boats, or actively spattering one another with
water, a recreation which they could enjoy without anv
fear of that damage to clothing, which would have rendered
it objectionable la more highly civilized communities.
Others again (many of them scarcely old enough to walk,

226 THE CANNIBAL TILLAGE.

as one woutd suppose), were swimming about in the deeper
places, like amphibious creatures. Some were swinging
on ropes of sennit, suspended from the branches of the trees,
and a few were quietly sitting in tlia shade, making
bouquets and wreaths of wild flowers. Among tliem all,
there was not a single deformed or sickly-looking child.
I did not observe any grown persons, most of them pro-
bably being at that hour asleep in their houses. In passing
through the village, our escort closed around us in such a
manner as to screen us from observation, and we reached
the top of the slope without seeming to have attracted
notice. Here Mowno dismissed all his attendants except
two, and we then struck into a fine avenue of well-grown
trees, running along the crest of the hill, and leading to a
large native liouse, Oi oval form, prettily situated upon a
green knoll, and over-shadowed by wide-branching broad-
IHiit trees. This, Mowno informed us, was his dwelling.
A-t a short distance from the house, beneath a fan-palm,

was a group of young girls, so entirely absorbed in the
congenial task of arraugijig one another's abundant tresses,
and adorning themselves with flowers, that they did not
obseiwe our approach. Mowno seemed intent upon some
playful surprise, and laughing softly to himself like a
pleased child, he motioned us to hide ourselves in a thicket
of young casuarinas. From our ambush he pointed out to
us one of the group beneath tlie palm, having several white
buds of the fragrant gardeuia in her hair, and a garland of
the rosa cinensis about her neck ; when satisfied that he

had drawn our attention to the right person, he gave ns
to understand, with an air of great complacency, that she
was ' OUa,' his wife. "Wliile thus engaged, we were sud-
denly discovered, being betrayed byMowno's gaudy tiputa,

THE CANNIBAL VILLAGE. 227

seen tlirougli the foliage by tlie quick eye of his better half,
who iiniiieJiatcly sprang up with a clear, ringing laugh,
scattering a lapfiil of flowers upon the ground, and came
running like a fawn towards him; fhe rest of us still keep-
ing concealed. She was very pretty, graceful as a bird in
every movement^ and had a singularly pleasing expression

of countenance.

" On witnessing the greeting which she bestowed upon

Mowno, Barton whispered me that he ought to consider

himself a happy savage, and to do him justice, he seemed

to be of the same opinion himself. She commenced talk-

mg at once, with w^onderful vivacity, pouring forth a

continuous torrent of words, with little gushes of laughter

interspersed here and there by way of punctuation, and

making no longer or more frequent pauses than were

absohitely necessary for the purpose of taking breath..

Notwithstanding her amazing volubility, I could understand
enough of what she said, to perceive that she was inquiring

after ' the pale-faced youths,' and presently she appeared
to be scolding her husband in a pretty lively strain, for
having failed to bring them with him accoriling to his

promise. It was amusing to witness Mowno's ludicrous
struggles to look grave, while he made feigned excuses,
and explanations of our absence. His demeanour resembled
more that of a boy^ whose head has been turned by be-
ccmicg, for the first time, the actual and uncontrolled
owuer of a watch, or a fowling-piece, than of a stern war-
I'ior, or savage chief. He could not, with all his efforts,
maintain sufficient gravity and self-possession, to carry
out the jest, poor as it was, which he had undertaken ; but
kept glancing towards our hiding-place, and finally, burst
into a boiot^irous exp^o^ion of laugltrr; when 011a, peepinrf

2^3 THE CANMlUAL VILLAGE.

into the thicket, caught sight of us, and instantly dartedaWay
with a pretty half-scream, and rejoined her companions.
Mowna now beckoned us forth, and we approached the
group, whereupon they made a show of scampering olf
into the grove, but apparently thought better of it, and
concluded to stand their ground. At first, they seemed
actually afmid of Barton and myself, peeping cautiously
at us over one another's shoulders from a safe distance.
Preseutly, one, more enterprising than the rest, ventured
so far as to reach out her hand, and touch Barton on the
cheek, when, finding that no disastrous consequences im-
mediately followed this act of temerity, they gradually
laid aside their apprehensions, and pressing arouud us,
soon became sufficiently familiar to try a variety of highly
original and interesting experiments upon our complexion
and clothing. These, though somewhat annoying, were
accompanied by questions and observations so irresistibly
ludicrous, that we soon found it entirely out of the ques- ,
tion to preserve any sort of gravity, and as the whole
troop always joined in our laughter without stopping to
understand its cause, or instantly led off of themselves,
upon the slightest provocation, the woods resounded with
peals of merriment.

"One of these damsels, alter examining Barton's fair

skin, and flowing yellow locks, gravely communicated to
:i companion, her conviction that we had come from the
moon. A second, stoutly maintained our earthly origin,
and attributed our paleness to the influence of some strange
sickness; while a third, being of a sceptical and suspicious
turn of mind^ suddenly seized Barton by the wrist,
and spitting upon the skirt of ^er pareu, commenced
scrubbing his hand with ijreat vigour, to see whether tbo

THE oA.N^XlBAL VILLAGE. 229

colours were fast. Our tight-fitting garments, toOj seemed
to puzzle them exceedingl/, and we were listeners to an
animated debate, upon the question whether they were
a natural or an artificial covering; the young lady who up-
held the theory of our lunar origin, inclining strongly to
the opinion, that, like the feathery coat of birds, our
clothing was a part of ourselves. But the sagacity and
penetration of the one who had endeavoured to wash
the paint from Barton's hand, soor enrtbled her to discover
thfe unsoTindness of this doctrine, and, in order the more
triumphantly to refute it, she insisted upon pulling off my
jacket, and trying it on herself. Finding that nothing less
would satisfy her, I resigned the garment, when having
succeeded, with some assistance, in getting into it, and
buttoning it up as far as was practicable, she snatched
Barton's cap to completo her costume, and commenced
parading up and down the avenue, the admiration and
envy of her companions. I fully expected that Barton's
coat would next be put in requisition, and he whispered me
that he stood in momentary dread, lest the now awakened
spirit of investigation and experiment, should prompt our
new friends to still more embarrassing extremes,

" This, however, proved to be a groundless apprehension,
for their curiosity was pj-esently diverted into a new chan-
nel by 011a, who suddenly demanded to know my name.
I accordingly repeated it, and she endeavoured several times

to pronounce it after me, but without success. The Hh'
seemed to constitute an insuperable difficulty, which, how-
ever, she finally evaded, by softening * Arthur,' into 'Artua/
and this, singularly enough, was what Rok6a had always
been in the habit of calling me. He and Barton were now
called upon for their names, and in return, we were

5*50 THE CANI^IBAL VILLAGE.

favoTii'ed with the hquid and vowelly appclLitiveSj by
which our ingenuous and communicative acquaintances
were respectively designated. Barton assumed the alia^a
of Tom, which was straightway metamorphosed into
*Tomma.'

"While this exchange of names was going on, an old
woman came from the house, and delivered some message
to OUa, which from the repetition of the words 'po6, poe,'
I conjectured to be a summons to dinner. Mowno leading
the way, we now proceeded towards the dwelling. It
was surrounded by a strong, but neat hedge of the ti-plant,
some three and a half feet high, with an ingeniously
contrived wicker gate opposite the door. A path strewn
with marine shells, and fragments of white coral, led
from the gate to the door. The space within the in-
closure was chiefly devoted to the cultivation of yams
and other vegetables, but 011a showed me a little plat of

ground, near the house, which she said was her own gar-
den. It was tastefully arranged, and carefully kept, and a

considerable variety of flowers, all of wliicli she had herself
transplanted from the woods, were there in full bloom.
Most conspicuous among them was the native jasmine,
and a species of wood-pink, both of which were fragrant.

The building itself was a model of a native dwelling, and
since we are to-morrow to try our own skill in house-
building, I will endeavour to describe it. It was of an oval
shape ; the sides were inclosed with handsome mats, with
spaces left for the admission of light and air. The roof
was composed of a firm and durable thatch of pandanus
''jeaves, strung upon small reeds, laid closely together, and
overlapping one another from the eaves to the ridgepole,
"From the inside, the appearance was the neatest and

THE CANNIBAL VILLAGE.

prettiest imaginable, the whiteness of the straignt anl
slender rafters of peeled hibiscus, contx'astiug well with the
ceiling of shining brown leaves which they sustained. The
fiiruitare of the house consisted of a r.-amber of large sleep-
inn--mats, iivo or six carved wooden stools, and two narrow
tables, or rather sliclvesj of wicker-work, fastened against
the wall at opposite sides of the room. Upon one
of these were arranged a number of calabashes, carved
wooden dishes, cocoa-nut drlnking-cups, and other domestic
utensils. Upon the otlier was a native drum, several clubs
and spears, a long vivo or native flute, and a hideous-looking
wooden image with four arms, and a bunch of red feathers
fastened to what was doubtless meant for its head. The
rafters wei-e ornamented with braided and coloured cords
wound round them, the ends of which hung down several

feet and sustained a number of weapons and various other
articles suspended by them.

"At the farther end of the room, a woman was pounding

tarOj or bread-fruity in a wooden mortar; another, appa-
i-ently very old aiul infirm, was sitting upon a low stool

near the wall, swaying her body slowly from side to side,
and making a low, monotonous noise. I observed that
011a frequently looked towards the latter, with a mournful
expression of countenance. AYhen we first entered the
house, she went and sat down by her side, and talked with
her in a low tone, and when she turned away, her eyes
were full of tears. The old woman did not evince any
corresponding emotion, but muttered something feebly and
indistinctly, as if replying to what OLla had said, of which
I could distinguish the words, ' It is best, child ; Malola ia
very old ; she is sick and weak ; she cannot work ; it is
time she should be buried out of the v^ay.' I instantly

THE UAVmnAh VILLAGE.

suspected that this UDliappy creature was to be destroyed
by her own friends, on account of her age and infirmities,
according to a most horrible and unnatural, but too pre-
valent custom. I had once been present at a scene of thia
kind, without the slightest possibility of successful inter-
ference, when a native woman had b3en strangled; her
own son, pulling at one end of the tappa which encircled
his mother's neck. In that case, the victim, instead oi
submitting quietly and willingly to her fate (as is most
usual), suddenly lost her courage at the moment of reach-
ing the grave, beside which she was to be strangled, and
opposed a frantic and desperate resistance to her murderers.
Her heart-rending cries ; her fearful struggles ; and, more
than all, the horrid indiflerence and cruelty of her execu-
tioners, have left upon my mind an indelible impression.
I now resolved that if my suspicions proved just, I would
make an earnest effort to prevent the repetition of so in-
human a deed, and from what I had already seen of the

mild disposition of Mowno, I was inclined to believe that
there was great hope of success in such an endeavour.

'■Rok6a, on hearing the conversation above mentioned,
had given me a significant glance, which sufficiently ex-
plained to me how he understood it. A very few moments
sufficed to confirm my worst suspicions: I learned that
the aged female who had spoken of herself as Malola, was
Mowno's aunt, and that she was, with her own full consent
and approval, to be destroyed in a few days. From the
manner in which 011a alluded to it, while I inferred that
Bueh acts were by no means uncommon among these peo-
ple, I at the same time clearly perceived, that custom and

education had not stifled or perverted in her gentle nature,
at least, the ordinary feeliniss and impulses of humanity,

THE CANNIBAL VILLAGE- 233

and that she anticipated the deed v/lth terror and loathing.
I determined to watch for an opportunity to converse with
Mowno, and discover, if possible, whether the cruel insen-
sibility, implied in countenancing such a practice, could
really be concealed beneath so smooth and pleasant an
aspect.

"Meanwhile, the meal to which we had beensumn'.or.ed
was spread under the shade trees beside the house. It con-
sisted of baked fish, served np in banana-leaves, roasted
yams, po6-poe, a preparation of bi'ead-frult, and an excellent
kind of pudding, made of cocoa-nut-pulp and taro. It was
easy to perceive that 011a, with all her playfulness and
gii'lish vivacity, was a notable housekeeper,"

" Let me interrupt you a moment, to ask a single ques-
tion," said Max. " Did you get the recipe for making that
pudding from Mrs. Mowno 1 — if so, please impart the same
for the general good, and I will try my hand at it the first
convenient opportunity."

"Heathen 1" exclaimed Browne, "can you think of
nothing but gormandizing ? Pi'ay, Arthur, ]n'0ceed."

"And bring on those cannibals forthwitli," added Mor-
ton, " for unless you do sc, Johnny will despair entirely of
any fighting, and go to sleep.**

234 AS EXFLOSIOK.

CHAPTER XXII.

AS EXPLOSION.

r!IE CANNIDALS ArPRECIATE MUSIC AXD ET,0<iUENCE, VVT TaRK

OFFENCE AT THE NEW TIIEOLOGT.

" Then tumult rose, fierce rage, and wild affright."

"In the afternoon," resumed Arthur, "we went with
our host and hostess, and our companions at dinner, to a

grove on the banks of the stream — a place of general re-
sort for tlie villagers during tlic latter part of every fine
day. The younger people met there, to pursue a variety
of sports and athletic exercises, and the older to gossip
and look on. We had intended to return to the boat, as
soon as the repast was over, and it would have been well
had we done so ; tut our new friends insisted so strenuously
upon our accompanying them to the grove, that we yielded
at last to their playful importunities, so far as to consent
to make a brief pause there on our way. We had gone
but a short distance from the house, when a bird of about
the size of a robin, flew down from a tree beneath which
we were passing, and after circling several times around
Olla's head, alighted on her finger, which she held out for
it to perch upon. It was a vouu^ wood-pigeon, which

AN EXPLOSION. 235

she had found in the grove, when a callow half-fledged
thing, the old bird having heen captured or killed by some
juvenile depredators. Taking pity on its orphan state,
Olla had adopted and made a pet of it : it was now per-
fectly tame, and would come readily at her call of 'Lai-evi'
(little captive), the name she had given it, attending her so
closely as to be seldom during the day beyond the sound

of her voice.
" On reaching the grove, we found quite a number of the

nat i V es, of all ages and of both sexes assembled, and though

they souii began to gather about us with inquisitive looks,

we were subjected to much less annoyance than might

reasonably have been expected under the circumstances

We were neither crowded, nor jostled, nor even ofFensivel}'

stared at, the very children apjiearing to possess an innato

delicacy and sense of propriety (though it may have been

timidity), which made them try to gratify their curiosity

covertly, seizing those opportunities to peep at us, when

they thought they were themselves unobserved.

"Barton, who possessed an enviable faculty of adai^ting

himself to all sorts of people and circumstances^ was in a

few moments as much at home among the villagers as if he
liad lived for years in their midst. He gossiped with the
old people, romped with the children, and chatted and
frolicked with the prettiest and most lively of the dusky
maidens, to the manifest disapprobation of several grim-
looking young savages, who stalked about in sullen dignity
watching these fimiliar proceedings of the handsome
stranger, with rising jealousy and indignation.

" At length a bevy of laughing girls, in punishment for
some impertinence with which they charged him, fell to
pelting him with jasmine bu l^, an 1 paudanus cones, the

236 AN EXPLOSION.

ktter of wliicli, in mischievous Lands, are capable of be-
coming rather formidable missiles. Foremost among the
assailants were our fair acquaintances of the morning,
and even 011a, forgetting her matronly station and dignity,
joined zealously in the flowery warfare; which was main-
tained with such spirit, that Barton was at length obliged
to beg for quarter, promising at the same time to 'make
some music' for them, as a condition of the suspension of
liostilities. This proposition, as soon as it was xmderstood^
seemed to afford the most extravagant delight ; the shower
of missiles ceased at once, and Barton was immediately
surrounded by as attentive and breathlessly expectant an
audience as artist could desire. Taking his stand upon a
moss-covered fragment of rock, he drew an enormous Jew's-
harp from his pocket, and handed it to me, gravely re-
questing me to 'accompany' him upon it, while he sang.
Then, after clearing his throat, with quite a professional

air, he commenced 'Hail Columbia,' and ss he had a full,
clear voice, and sang with great spirit, the performance
was listened to with every mark of enjoyment, and was

succeeded by rapturous applause.

" He next gave a solo on the Jew's-harp to the air of
' Yankee Doodle,' with brilliant and original variations,
which likewise met with a flattering reception. But by

far the greatest sensation was produced by ' Auld Lang-
sjTie,' which we sang together as a grand finale. The
natives really seemed to feel the sentiment of the music,
although Barton turned it into a burlesque by such an
exaggerated pathos of tone and expression, and gesture,
that I had much difficulty in getting through my part of
the performance without laughing; but my vexation at
being surprised into taking a part in such a piece of buf-

AN EXPLOSION. 237

fooiiery, gl'eatly helped me in resistiug my sense of the
ludiorous. At the end of every verse. Barton grasped my
hand in the most demonstrative manner, and commenced
shaking it vigorously, looking me all the while solenmly
In the face, and shaking away through the entire chorus,
thereby producing a number of quavers, which, though
not set down in the music, greatly added to its pathetic
character. After the last chorus, he spread open his arras,
rushed forward, and gave me a stage embrace. This per-
formance, including the pantomime, must have been of a
very moving character, for when we had finished, I actually
saw tears in the eyes of several of our audience. This
evidence of the gentle and unsophisticated cliaracter of
these simple people, affected me almost as much as our
music had moved them, and I could not help thinking to

how much better account such amiable impressibility waa
capable of being turned.

" Having thus performed his promise, Barton now in-
sisted that we ought to be entertained in our turn with
some music, and after a little persuasion, three young girls
sang, or rather chaunted, several plaintive, but somewhat
monotonous airs. Their voices, though neither strong
nor clear, were soft and melodious, like the cooing of
their native wood-j)igeons. In vain we asked for some-
thing livelier and more spirited. Barton humming the
tune of ' Yankee Doodle,' to make them the bette r under-
stand what we wanted. All their melodies seemed to be
of a slow and measured character, and those specimens
which we heard, embraced a comparatively narrow range
of notes.

"Just as the native girls finished singing, we were
joined by a fresh oartv of eiftht or ten men, who cam©

238 AN EXPLOSION.

across the brookj and mingled with the others. I heard
Barton say to Eokoa, ^ There is the old priest again/ but
on looking around I could not see him. The new-comers
did not appear to be in the same holiday humour as the
tlirong around us; they walked gravely about, without
joining in the general mirth and gaiety, and manifesting
none of the curiosity in regard to ourselves, which the
others had evinced. I, however, thought nothing of this
at the time, supposing that they had been of the number
of thooo whom we had seen in the morning by the sea-
shore, although I did not recognize any of them.

" Presently, 011a and her companions commenced beg-
ging us for more music. One young lady in particular,
(the same who had pronounced us to be inhabitants of
the mooUj) pressed Bai-ton with unceasing importunities,
mingled with threats of a renewal of hostilities in case of

non-compliance. Finding all attempts at excuse or eva-
sion utterly unavailing, he suddenly siiatched a wreath of
yellow candlenut-blossoms from the head of his tormentress,
crowned himself therewith, and springing upon the top of
the rock, assumed an oratorical attitude, and waved hia
hand, as if abotit to harangue the people. Then, while I
was wondering what was to come next, he fixed his eye
sternly upon a sinister looking man of middle-age, with
the head-dress of an inferior chief, who was standing
directly in frouL of him, and began to declaim in Latin,
with great vehem.ence — ^ Quousque tandem abutere, Catilina,
patieiitii nostrdl' &c., which the audience seemed at first,
to consider highly interesting and entertain inir. As he
proceeded, delivering the sounding sentences, * ore rotundo,'
and emphasizing each thundering polysyllable with a
fierce gesture of his clenched fist, T observed that the iudi-

AN EXPLOSION. 239

vidual before mentiouedj whom the orator seemed to luve
chosen to represent Catilinej and wlio, without under-
standing Jjatin, could very well perceive that there was
soii'.ething menacing and vituperative in the language
addressed to liini, began to look at first puzzled, and then
incensed. He stole two or three hurried and uncertain
glances at those behind and immediately around him, as
if to assure himself whether this torrent of denunciation
was not in fact directed against some other person;
but when all doubt on this point seemed to have been
resolved by the unequivocal demonstrations of the orator,
his rigid features assumed an expression of such anger
and ferocity, that I began to fear some violent outbreak of
passioB, and made several attempts by signs ai\d gestures,
to indicate to Barton the danger of pursuing so thought-
less and imprudent a pleasantry. But he either did not
perceive my meaning, or else, felt rather flattered than
alarmed, by the effect which his elocution seemed to pro-
duce upon Catiline, for he continued to jiour out upon
him the torrent of his oratory for several minutes longer,

and it was not until his memory began evidently to fail
him, that he concluded with a last emphatic invective
accompanied by a sufficiently significant pantomime to
convey some notion of its meaning, and bowing to Ida
audience, leaped fx'om the I'ostrum.

" This performance, seemed to afford even greater
pleasure to the male part of the assembly (with a few
exceptions) than the in'evioua musical entertainment had
done, and they testified their approbation, by emphatic
nods and shouts of applause.

" I now thought it time to terminate our visit, and re-
turn to the boat, and was about to speak to Eokoa on the

240 An EiPtosioir.

subject, wlieu Barton seized me by the arm, aud pusted
me towards the platform of rock.

" 'Now, Arthur, it is your turn,' said he, 'you perceive
what an effect my.eloquence has produced on old Catiline,
there : give him a lecture upon the sinfulness of indulging
the vindictive passions, and exhort him to repentance.'

" The younger people prei^sed about me, and instigated
and aided by Barton, they fairly forced me upon the rocky
platform. Though by no means pleased at being obliged
to take a part in a farce so little to my taste, and for which
I possessed none of Barton's talent, I saw plainly that the
shortest and least troublesome way, was to comply with
their wishes, and I accordingly endeavoured to recall some
fi'agment of prose or verse which might serve the pre-
sent purpose. Supposing that English woixld be quite as
intelligible and acceptable to them as Barton's Latin, I
was just about to declaim those noble opening lines of
Comus — ■

• Before the starry threshold of Jove's Court/ &c.

which used to be a favourite of mine at school, when sud-
denly another impulse seized me.

" As I glanced around upon the circle of smiling, up-
turned countenances, I v.-as struck by the docile and
childlike expression of many of them. I thought of the
sad and benighted condition of this simple people, without
the knowledge of God, or the hope of immortality, given
up, as it seemed, a helpless prey to the darkest and most
cruel superstitions. I thought of the moss-grown marae
in the dark wood, with its hideous idols, its piles of human
bones, and its hoary priest — ^fit minister of such a religion.
I remembered the aged woman at Mowno's house, and the

A^ EXPLOSIOlJ. ^41

4

frightful doom in reserve for her. I felt that perhaps to
fiiich impressible spirits, even a passing word, unskilfully
%nd feebly spoken, might by God's blessing do good ; and
yielding to the impulse of the moment, instead of declaim-
ing tlie verses from Comus, I began to speak to them in
tlieir own language, of those great truths, the most mo-
mentous for civilized or savage man to know, and the most
deeply interesting to every thovightful mind, of whatever
degree of culture — truths so simple, that even these un-
tutored children of nature could receive, and be made
happy by them.

"In the plainest and simplest language I could com^
mand, and striving to adapt myself to their habits of
thought, and to use those forms of expression most fami-
liar to them, I announced the great doctrine of the exist-
ence of one God, the sole creator of the world, and the
loving Father of all his creatures. I spoke of his power
and his goodness, and told them that though invisible to
our eyes, as the wind which stirred the tops of the palm-
fcrees above them, he was ever near each one of us, hearing

our words, seeing our actions, reading our thoughts, and
caring for us continually.

"I endeavoured to illustrate these attributes of God, by
references and allusions to the daily aspects of nature
around them, and to ideas and notions with which their

mode of life, and the system of superstition in which they
had been trained, rendered them familiar. My especial
aim was to lead them, unconsciously, as it were, and with-
out making any direct attack upon their religion, to con-
trast the benignant character of Him who has permitted
us to call Him ' Our Tather in Heaven,' with that of the

malignant beings they had been taught to worship.

<4

242 AN EXPLOSION,

"I next spoke of death^ and of a future life, and assured
them that the friends whom they had buried, and they
themselves, and all who had ever lived, should awake as
li-om a brief sleep, and live again for ever. But when I
proceeded to declare that most awful and mysterious doc-
trine of our religion, and spoke of the worm that dieth not,
and the fire that is not quenched, of eternal happiness, and
unending v/oe, I could see by the earnestness of their at-
tention, and the expression of their countenances, how
powerfully they were impressed.

'* I cannot remember all that I said, or the language I
used, but I endeavoured to set before them in a shape
adapted to their comprehension, the simple elements of
the Christian scheme — the great doctrines of God and im-
mortality, of human sinfulness and accountability, and of
salvation through Jesus Christ. But encouraged by the
Attention and apparent interest of the silent and listening
circle, in the glow of the moment, I went beyond tliis pre-
scribed limit, and from these vast gcnei'al truths, I began
at last to spealv of j^articular acts and practices. As I
thought once more of the niarae in the forest, and of the
tmhappy Malola, I told the people that our Father beyond
the sky could alone hear their prayers, and should alone
be worshipped; that he desired no sacrifices of living
llnngg; that he was offended and displeased with all
cruelty and bloodshed, and that the offering of human
sacrificcSj and the killing of aged persons, were crimes
which he detested, and would be sure to punish; that he
had expressly commanded children to love and honour
their ]>arents, and that it was their duty, the older, the
moi'e iiiiirm and helpless they became, the more faithfully
to cherish and i>rotect them. In speaking on this subjectt

A'!^ KXPLOSIOK. 243

I grew earnest and excited, and probably my voice and
manner too strongly expressed the abhorrence I felt for
sneh ID onstrons and tmnatural crimes.

" At this point, Barton, who had for some time been
looking on in astonishment at the serious turn which the
matter had so unexpectedly taken, interrupted me with
the whispered caution —

" ' Be careful, Arthur ! I fear from the black looks of
one of your clerical fathers here, that you are giving
offence to the cloth, and trenching upon perilous ground.'

"But the warning came too late. Just as I glanced
round in search of the threatening looks to which Barton
alluded, a frightful figure sprang up on the outer edge of
the circle of listeners, directly in front of me, and with
cries of rage forced its way towards the spot where I stood,
I recognized at once the old priest of the marae, but how
changed since I last saw him! Every sign of age and
decrepitude had vanished : his misshapen frame seemed
dilated, and instinct with nervous energy : his face was
pale with the' intensity of his fui-y, and his small eyes

flashed fire.

" ' Perish, reviler of Oro, and hia priests ! ' he cried,
and hurled at me a barbed spear, with so true an aim,
that if I had not stooped as it left his hand, it would have
struck my face. Whizzing over my head, it pierced the
tough bark of a bread-fruit tree, ten yards behind me,
where it stood quivering. Instantly catching a club from
the hands of a bystander, he rushed forward to renew the
/ittack. He had reached the foot of the rock where I
stood, when Bokoa with a bound placed himself between
us, and though without any weapon, motioned him back,
with a gesture so commanding, and an air at once so quiet^

244 AN EXPi0Sl02^

and so fearless, that the priest paused. But it was for all
instant only; then, without uttering a word, he aimed a
bJow full at Eokoa's head. The latter caught it in his open
palm, wrenched the weapon from him, and adroitly foiling
a furious attempt which he made to grapple with him,
once more stood upon the defensive with an unruffled
aspect, and not the slightest appearance of excitement in
his manner,

*'The baffled priest, livid with rage, looked round for
another weapon. Half a dozen of the men who had arrived
Upon the ground with him, uttered a wild yell, and pressed
forward with brandished clubs and spears. Barton and I,
placed ourselves by Eokoa's side, the former handing me
one of his pistols. All was tumult and confusion. The
outbreak had been so sudden and unexpected, and what I

have just related had passed so rapidly, that the bystanders
had not yet recovered from the first shock of astonishment
and terror. Of the women, some shrieked and fled from
the spot, others threw themselves between us and the
armed natives, or invoked the interference of their brothers
and friends for our protection. Only a few, even of the men,
seemed to participate in the feeling of hostility against us.
" But, however inferior in number, the party of our foes
far surpassed that of our friends in resolution and energy.
Foremost among them were the priest and the hard-
featured chief, who had been so deeply incensed by what
he reprarded as the wanton insults offered him by Barton,
A number of the young men also, whose anger and jealous)
had been aroused by his sudden popularity, and the atten-
tion which had been paid us, sided zealously with the
priest and his party, and joined in the clamour against

AN EXPLOSION. 245

" Meanwliile, Mowno, at Olla's entreaty, strove to calm
the tumult, aud to pacify the leader and instigator of it;
but his authority was J&ercely spurned, and our good-na-
tured protector quailed before the fuiy of the vindictive
old man. As yet, however, our enemies, conscious that
the sympathies of a large number of the bystanders were
with us, had offered us no actual violence, confining them-
selves to menacing cries and gestures, by whicn they
seemed to be striving to work themselves up to the requi-
site pitch of excitement. This was likely to be speedily
attained imder the influence of the fierce exhortations and
contagious fury of the priest. Some of the yoimg men, in
fact, now commenced a sort of covert attack, by throwing
stones and fragments of wood at us from the outskirts of
tlie crowd, and Barton was struck violently in the mouth
by one of these missiles, by which his lip was badly cut

In the midst of all the excitement and tumult, liokoa stood,
with the outward appearance at least, of perfect composure.
Neither the ravings of the priest, nor the menacing atti-
tude of * Catiline,' nor the brandished weapons of their
followers, deprived him of his coolness and presence of
miud. He steadily confronted them with an unblenchiu^
eye, grasping the club of which he had possessed himself,
in readiness to meet the attack, which he at the same time
did nothing, by look or gesture, to provoke. His calm
intrepidity, while it seemed temporarily to restrain our
enemies, served also to reassure and steadv Barton and
myself; and endeavouring to emulate his self-possession^
we stood ready to act as circumstances should indicate^
looking to him for the example."

Here Arthur paused, as if about to suspend his narra-
tive. Johnny, who was now broad awake, and listening

246 AN EXPLOSION.

eagerly, waited patiently a few moments, expecting him to
recommence. Finding, however, that he did not do so, he
at leno^th asked him to '^ ffo on."

o o

" It is getting quite late," answered Arthur ; "see, those
three bright stars whicJi were hi^-h in tlie heavens when
wo first sat down here, are now on the very edge of the
horizon^ about to sink behind the ocean. As we expect to
be up, and on our way to Castle-hill before sunrise to-moi'-
row. I think we should now go to rest."'

•' If we do," replied Johnny, " I am sure I sliall not be
able to sleep ; I shall be thinking of that terrible old priest,
and trying to guess how you escaped at last."

"I judge," said Browne, "that you are pretty nearly
at the end of your adventures in Angatan, so pray let xis
have the remainder now."

" Do so," added Morton, " and set Johnny's mind at rest,
or lie will be dreaming of cannibals and cannibal-priests
all night, and disturbing us by crying out in his sleep."

" I thiidc it's qTiite likely," said Johnny, shaking his head
in a threatening manner; " I feel just now very much as
if I should."

"Since that is the case," said Arthur, "I suppose I must
'go on,' in self-defence; and as I believe that twenty
minutes will suffice for what remauis, I will finish it,"

THE FLIGHT. 24?

OitAPTER XXm.

THE FLIGHT.

TK TKAI — THE VICTIM FOR SACRIFICE— THE ESCAPE AND PURvSVlT-

THE priest's ambush.

"For life, for life, their flight they ply,

And shriek, and shont, and battle-erj.

And weapons waving to the sky,
Are mad/iening in tlieir rear,"

"While the party hostile to us, thxis stood hesitating,
but to all appearance rapidly approaching a point whero
all hesitation would cease, Olla, with tears streaming
down her cheeks, besought us to fly to her husband's
house, where, she seemed to imagine, we should neces-
sarily be safe from violence. But though no one yet laid
hands on us, we were surrounded on all sides, and could
not with any certainty distingui.sli fnonds from foes; and
the first movement on our part to escape, would probably
be the signal for an instant and general attack by the
priest and his followers, "We thought^ therefore, that our
best hope of safety lay in maintaining a firm but quiet
attitude^ until Mowno, and those disposed to protect us,
could make their influence felt in our belialf. They, how-
over, confined their efforts to feeble exi^ostulations and

248 THE FLIGHT.

entreaties; aud perhaps it was unreasonable to expect
them to engage in a deadly conflict with their own neigh-
bours, relatives, and personal friends, in the defence of
mere strangers like ourselves. They could not even
restrain the younger and more violent portion of the rabble
from carrying on the species of desultory warfare from
which Barton had already suffered ; on the contrary, the
stones and other missiles, thrown by persons on the out-
skirts oftliQ crowd, fell continually thicker and faster. At
length Eokda received a staggering blow on the back of
the iiead, from a clod of earth, thrown by some one who
had stolen round behind the rock for that purpose, aud
who immediately afterwards disappeared in the throng.

" ' How much longer are we to endure this ?' cried Bar-
Ion, ' Must we stand here and suffer ourselves to be mur-
dered by these cowai'dly attacks ? Let us shoot a couple
of them, and make a rush for tbe shore.'

"But a moment's reflection was enough to show the
utter hopelessness of such an attempt. However mucL
the natives might be astounded for an instant by the dis-
charge of firearms, all fear and hesitation would vanish
upon our taking to flight. Our backs once turned would
be the mark for a score of ready spears ; and except perhaps
for Eokoa, whose speed was extraordinary, there would be
scarcely the possibility for escape. Still it was evident

that the audacity of our enemies was steadily increasing,
though their attacks were as yet covert and indirect, and
as I knew that Kokoa would not hesitate to retaliate upon
the first open assailant, in which case we should be mas-
sacred upon the spot, we might soon be compelled to adopt
even so desperate a suggestion, as the only alternative of
instant death.

THE FLIGHT. 249

** At this ci'itical moment, I noticed a sudden movement
ol* surprise or alarm, on the outskirts of the crowd, A
groupj directly in front of us, no longer giving us their
exclusive attention, began to whisper among themselves,
glancing and pointing towards the rising ground in our
rear, while a half suppressed and shuddering exclamation
of * Te Vea ! Te "Vea ! ' was heard among the people.
Turning round, and looking where all eyes were now
directed, I saw a tall native, with a peculiar head-dress of
feathers, and a small basket of cocoa-nut leaflets in his
hand, running ra])idly towards us. His appearance seemed

to awalseu in those around us, emotions of texTor or aver-
sion, strong enough to swallow up every other feeling, for,
no sooner was he perceived, than all thought of prosecuting
further the present quarrel, appeared to be abandoned.
The priest alone, evinced none of the general uneasiness
or dread, but, on the contrary, a gleam of exultation
lighted up his hard and discoloured countenance. The
people naade way to the right and left, as the new-comer
drew near, and a number of them slunk away into the
forest, or to their homes. The stranger proceeded directly
towards Mowno, and taking a small parcel wrapped in
leaves, from the basket which he carried, delivered it to
liim: then, without pausing an instant, or uttering a word,
he passed on, taking his way at a rapid pace straiglit
through the village. Mowno received the parcel with a
reluctant and gloomy air, though it seemed to consist of
nothing but a rough stone, wrapped in the leaves of the
sacred miro. For several minutes he stood holding it in
his hand, like one deprived of consciousness. Several of
those who appeared to be the principal persons present,
among whorci were Catiline and the priest, now approached

250 THE FLIGHT.

him, aud tliey began to hold a whispered consultation, in
the course of which the priest frequently pointed towards
Bokoa, as though speaking of him. Mowno seemed to be
resisting some proposal urged hy the others, and spoke in
a more decisive and resolute manner than I had thought
him capable of assuming. The discussion, whatever was
its subject, soon became warm and angry: the voices of
Catiline and the priest were raised, and even threatening.
Every moment I expected to see Mowno relinquish his
opposition; but he remained firm, and at last, ~with the air
of one resolved to put an end to further debate, he said—
" * No ! it shall not be either of the strangers ; it shall bo
Terano : he is an evil man, and it will be well when he ia
gone.' Then speaking to two of those who stood near him,
he said, * Go quickly to Terano'a house, before he sees the
messenger and hides himself in the mountains;' where-

■

upon they seized their spears, and immediately set off in
the direction of the village.

"011a now renewed her entreaties for us to leave the
spot, and go with her to the house ; and Mowno, by a
quick gesture, meant to be seen only by us, indicated hia
wish to the same effect. Rokoa nodded to me to comply,
and we followed 011a as she bounded lightly through the
grove, no one offering to oppose our departure. But the
priest's restless eye was upon us, and had we set off in the
direction of the shore, we should not have been permitted
to escape, without an attempt on his part to prevent it.
As it was, he appeared to give some direction to those
about him, and four or five young men followed us at a
distance, keeping us in sight, and taking care that they
were always in such a position as to enable them to inter-
;ept us in any attempt to recross the islan 1 After having

THE FLiaHT. 25l

dogged us to Mowno's house and seen us eiifcer, tliey witli-

drew into the forest out of sight, where they probably

remained on the watch. Eolcoa now proceeded to select

from Howuo's store of weapons, a club, of more formidable

weight and size, than that which he had wrested from the

priest, and requested Barton and myself to follow his

examnle.

" ' We must try to get to the shore,' he said, * tliere are

at present, none to hinder us, but the young men who

followed us hither.'

" ' But that demon of a priest, and the rest of his crew,
are not far off,' said Barton, ' and they will be sure to
waylay us. For the present we are safe here ; and perhaps
Mowno will be able to get us back to our boat without
danger/

" Eokoa shook his head. * There are others here,' he

said, ' more powerful than Mowno, and who are our ene-
mies: we must rely upon ourselves.'

" 011a watched us anxiously during this conversation ;
and now, as if she understood its subject at least, she said,
with an expression of intelligence and cordial friendliness

in her fine eyes, ' Listen to me : the words of the priest are
more powerful with the great chief than the words of
Mowno: to-night, the priest will go to the great chief, and
before he returns you must fly ; but not now, for you are
watched by the young men ; you must wait until night —
until the moon is behind the grove.'

" Tliis seemed to me a wiser course than to undertake
at present, to fight our way to the boat; but Rokoa re-
mained of his former opinion ; lie apprehended an attack
upon our party at the shore during our absence, by which
w^ Tuight be cut off from all means oi leaving the island.

252 THE FUGHT.

This certainly was a weighty consideration, and one that
had not occurred to me. We were still hesitatinar, and
uncei'tain what course to pursue, when Mowno came in,
looking much troubled, and carrying in his hand the
mysterious package, the object and meaning of which I
forgot to explain.

"A stone, folded in the leaves of the miro, sent by the king,
or paramount chief, to the subordinate chiefs of districts
or villages, is the customary method of notifying the latter
that they are expected to furnish a human victim for some
approaching sacrifice. The principal occasions upon which
these are required, are at the building of national maraes,
at the commencement of a war, or in cases of the serious
illness of a superior chief. The number of victims sacri-
ficed, is proportioned to the magnitude of the occasion; as
many as a score have sometimes been offered to propitiate
the gods during the severe sickness of a powerful chief.
The priests signify to the chief the number required ; the
latter then sends out his runner or messenger (te vea), who
delivers to each of the subordinate chiefs, one of these
packages for each victim to be furnished from his imme-
diate district. The odious duty of designating the indi-
viduals to be taken, then devolves upon the subordinate,
and having decided upon this, he sends a number of armed
men to secure the destined victims before they secret©
themselves or flee into the woods, as those who have any
reason to fear be'ng selected generally do, at the first
appearance of the dreaded messenger, or even as soon as
it is publicly known that an occasion is at hand for which
human sacrifices will be required. "When secured, the
doomed persons are most commonly killed on the spot by
the chiefs wj(mi, and the bodiea wrapped in cocoa-nut leaves

The FtiaHT, ^3

and carried to tlie temple. Sometimes, however, they
are preserved alive, and slain hj the priests themselves at
the altar.

" Upon the arrival of the messenger, as already related,
with a requisition for one victim from the village, the
majority of Mowno's advisers had insisted upon selecting
Eokoa for that purpose, and thus avoiding the necessity
of sacrificing one of their own people. The priest had
gone farther still, and proposed to seize upon us all, and
send Barton and myself to the two neighbouring villages,
to be furnislied by them as their quota of victims. To
these councils, Mowno had opposed a determined resistance,
and he had finally sent his followers to despatch an old
man named Terano, whose death would be considered a
general benefit, as he was a notorious and inveterate thief
and drunkardj who, when not stupefied with ava, was con-
stantly engaged in desperate broils, or wanton depredations
upon the property of his neighbours. It seemed, however,
that the old man had taken the alarm and fled ; several of
Mowno's followers were now in pursuit of him, and unless
they should succeed in taking him before morning, another

pei'son would have to be designated, as it was required to
furnish the victims at the great marae, by noon of the
following day.

" I sickened with disgust, as I listened to details like
these. Never before had I so fully realized the darkness
and the horrors of heathenism — all the more striking in
the present instance, because of the many pleasing and
amiable natural qualities of the people who groped amid
such darkness, and were a prey to such horrors.

" Mowno also, recommended us to postpone any attempt

at flight until a late hour of the night. He said that h©

2;*ii THE FLIGHT.

had seen a number of men lurking in the woods near t)
titreaiu, and that the priest and others had remained in
tlie grove after he Lad left, probably with the intention of
joining them in watching the house.

" 011a now went out into the garden, where she walked
about, looking "up among the branches of the trees, and
calling out 'Lai-evil' as if in search of her tame wood-
pigeon. After going round the garden, she passed out of
the gate, and wandered away in the direction of the brook,
Btill looking among the trees, and repeating at intervals
her call of Lai-evi!'

" By-and-bye she returned, and though without her little
favourite, she had accomplished her real object, and ascer-
tained the number and position of the spies. She had seen

seven of them skulking in the wood along the brook, and
watching the house. They seemed anxious to avoid obser-
vation, and she could not, without awaking suspicion, get
more than transient glimpses of them, so that possibly
there might be others whom she had not seen.

" Hokoa questioned her as to the space along the hank
of the stream occupied by these men, and the distance from
one another at which they were stationed. Then after a
moment's reflection he turned to Mowno, and asked whether
ho was confident of being able to protect us, while in his
house ; to which the latter replied with much earnestness
that he both could and would do so.

" * Wait here, then,' said Kokoa, addressing Barton and
myself, ' I will return before the moon sets :' and without
aifording us an opportunity to inquire what he designed
to do, he passed through the door, and bounded into the
forest, in the direction opposite to thut> where the spies of
the priest were lurking.

TOE FLIGHT. 255

* * Is it possible,' said Barton, * that he iu tends to desert

" ' Yon should know him better/ I answered, ' unless I
am mistaken, he is about to risk his life in an attempt to
communicate with our crew, in order to put them on their
guard against a surprise, and to render our escape the
more easy. If he liyes, he will return, to incur a second
time with us the very dangers to which this attempt ex-
poses him.'

" Knowing as I did Rok6a''s great activity, coolness, and
presence of mind, I was sanguine that he would succeed iu

eluding the vigilance of our enemies, and accomplishing
Ills purpose.

" Soon after his departure, 011a set out for our evening
meal a light repast of bananas, baked bread-fruit, and
vi-apples, fresh from the garden. Bat neither Barton nor
I could eat anything : our thoughts were with Rokoa upon
liis perilous adventure. When the food had been removed,
Mowno suggested that we should all go out into the inclo-
sure, and walk a few times around the house in order that
those who were on the watch might be satisfied that we

wore still there. This we accordingly did, and continued
strolling through the garden until it became quite dark.
Kokoa had now been gone nearly an hour, and Barton
began to grow restless and troubled, Mowno, stationing
himself at the end of the walk leading from the house
leaned upon the gate in a listening attitude. As T sat in
the wide doorway, beneath the vi-apple trees planted on
either side of the entrance, watchincr the bright constella-
tion of the Cross, just visible above the outline of the grove
lin the southern horizon, 011a began to question me cou-
cerning what I had told the people in the afternoon, ji

256 THE FlIGHT.

God, and a futare life, and the doctrines of Christianity.
T was at once touched and astonished, to perceive the deep
interest she took in the subject, and the readiness with
which she received these truths, as something she had
needed and longed for. She seemed to feel how much
better and more consoling they were, than the superstitions
in which she had been educated.

" I was amazed to find that this young heathen woman,
growing up in the midst of pagan darkness, was nevertheless
possessed of deep and strong religious feelings, which could

r

not be satisfied with the traditions of her people. As I
gazed at her ingenuous countenance, full of earnestness
and sensibility, while she endeavoured to exj^ress the vague
thoughts on these subjects which had at times floated
through her mind, I could scarcely believe that this was
the same gay and careless being, whose life had seemed to
me as natural, as imconscious, and as joyous, as that of a
bird or a flower. She said, that often when alone in some

secluded spot in the depth of the wood, while all arouiid
was so hushed and peaceful, she had suddenly burst into
tears, feeling that what she had been taught of the gods
could not be true, and that if Oro was indeed the creator
of so beautiful a world — if he had made the smiling groves,
the bright flowerS; and the multitude of happy living
things, he must be a good being, who could not delight in
the cruelties practised in his name. Often, when a mere
girl, thoughts like these had visited her, wandering by the
eea-shore at twilight, or looking up through the foliage of
waving cocoa-nutg roves at the starry skies, when nature
herself, by her harmony and beauty, had seemed to pro-
claim that God was a being of light and love, in whom waa
10 darkness at all !

THE FLIGHT. 257

" Presently Mowno joined us, and I talked with him in
regard to the intended burial of the aged woman^ his aunt,
and endeavoured to make him see the act in its true light
But with all his natural amiability, such was the effect of
custom and education, that he seemed perfectly insensible
on the subject. He observed, in a cool, matter-of-fact
mannor, that when people got very old and could not work,
they were of no use to others or themselves — that it was
tlien time for them to die, and much best that they should
do so at once; and that if they did not, then their frienda
ought to bury them. As to Malola, his aunt, he said that

she was quite willing to be buried, and had in fact sug-
gested it herself, that she was often very sick, and in great
pain, so that she had no pleasure in living any longer;
he added, as another grave and weighty considera-
tion, that she had lost most of her teeth, and could not
chew her food, unless it was prepared differently from
that of the rest of the family, which caused OUa much
trouble.

" Finding that argument and expostulation had not the
Hlightest effect upon him, I changed ray tactics, and sud-
<lenly demanded whether he would be willing to have Olia
buried, when she began to get old and infirm ? This seemed
at first to startle him. He glanced uneasily at his little
wife, as if it had never before occurred to him that she
could grow old. Then, after starinnr at me a moment in a
half angry manner, as though offended at my having sug-
gested so disagreeable an idea, he seemed all at once to
recover himself, remarking quickly, that he should be old
then, too, and that they could both be buried together.
This consolatory reflection seemed completely to neutralize
the effect of my last attack, and Mowno's countenanct

258 THE FLIGHT.

resumed its habitual expression of calm and somewhat stolid
I)]acldity.

"Baffled, but not discouraged, I next strove, by drawing
an imaginary j^ietiire of 011a and himself in their old age,
surrounded by their grown up children, to show how
happy and beautiful the relation between the child and the
aged parent might be. I summoned up all my rhetorical
powers, and sketched what I conceived to be a perfect
model of an affectionate and dutiful Angatanese son.
After clothing him with all the virtues and accomplish-
ments of the savage character, I proceeded to endue him
with that filial affection, whose beauty and power it was
luy cliief object to illustrate. I represented him as loving
his father and mother all the more tenderly on account of
the infirmities of age now stealiug over them. Upon the
arm of this affectionate son, the white-haired Mowno sup-
ported himself, when at morning and evening he went
fort]i to take his accustomed walk in the grove^ He it
was, who brought home daily to his aged mother, the
I'ipest fruits, and the freshest flowers. His smiling and
liappy countenance was the light of their dwelling ; his
cheerful voice, its sweetest mnsic. I was proceeding thus
in quite an affecting strain, as it seemed to me, (though I
must in honesty confess that Mowno appeared to be less
moved by it than myself, and somewhat cooled my en-
tliuaiasm by giving a gren.t yawn in the midst of one of the
most ton cliing passages,) when 011a, who liad been listen-
ing with moistened eyes, gently stole her arm around her
husband's neck, and murmured a few words in his ear
Whether it was my pathetic eloquence, or Olla's caress,
that melted his hitherto obaurate heart, I will not pretend
to sav, but it is certain that he now yielded the point, and

THE rWGHT. 259

promised that Malola should be permitted to live, ' At least/
he added, after a moment's refiectioiij ' as long as she can
see, and walk about.'

" Several times, since it had grown dark, I had heard
sounds like the distant beating of drums, mingled occa-
sionally with the long and sorrowful note of the buccinum-
shell, or native trumpet. Twice, also, while Mowno was
standing at his gate, messengers had arrived, apparently
in haste, and after briefly conferring with him, had posted
off again. "When I remarked upon these sounds, Mowno
said that they came from the marae, where preparations
for the approaching ceremony were going forward ; but to
me, they seemed to proceed from several different points,
at various distances from us.

" I now began to feel painfully anxious at Rokoa's pro-
tracted absence. It was nearly midnight, and there had
been ample time for one less active tliau he, to go to tho
shore and return. The terrible apprehension, that in spite
of all the resources of his skill and courage, he had fallen
into the hands of some of the parties of natives which
seemed to be scattered about in the forest, gained every
moment a stronger hold upon my mind.

"* He has either beeu taken, or else he finds that he can-
not rejoin us, without too great risk,' said Barton, break-
ing a long silence, and speaking of that which each knew
the other to be thinking about ; ' we must start for the
shore ourselves, if he does not come soon.'

"'Hark!' whispered 011a, 'some one is approaching
from the wood.' Her quick ear had detected stealthy
steps crossing the avenue. The next moment some one
bounded lightly over the hedge at the side of the house,
where the sliaduw of the bread-fruit trees fell darkest.

S'^O THE FLIOUT.

A^o^\^lO started, and seemed agitated, and for an instant

a suspicion that he had betrayed, and was about to give

us lip, flashed through my mind. But the figure wliich

canio forward into the light, was that of Roko^i. nnd I

felt pained at the "wrong wliich my momentai-y doubts

had done our inert, but well-meaning host. Eokoa breathed

quick and short. Without speaking, he pointed to the

moon, now on the edge of the western horizon of forest,

to intimate that he was punctual to the time set for liis
return.

"The sounds which I had before heard, were now borne
more plainly than ever to our ears upon the night breeze.
As soon as Eokoa recovered his breath, he said that we
had not a moment to lose, but must commence our flight
at once. He liad passed an armed party of more than
twenty men, coming in the direction of the house, with tlio
purpose, as he supposed, of demanding that we should be
given tip to them. Mowno seemed more displeased than
alarmed at this intelligence, and earnestly repeated that
110 hai*m should befall us while beneath his roof, if he had
to lay down his life in our defence. But Eokoa urged our
immediate departure, before the arrival of the party which
he had seen, Mowno then oflered to accompany, and
^nide us to our boat, which Kokoa firmly declined, on the
ground that his presence might endanger him, and in the
excited and determined mood of our enemies could be no
protection to us.

*'"We accordingly took a hurried leave of hlrn, and 011a.
* Good-bye, Artua,' said the latter, 'OF.a will not forget
what you have told her oi" our great Father in the sky ;
she will ask him for a new heart, that she too, may go when
she dies, to the Christian heaven;' and she pointed

THE KLRuIT. 2GI

Upward, wlille a happy sniilo lighted up her intelligent, and,
for the moment, serious countenance.

" We sprang over the hedge, and Eokoa leading the way,
proceeded swiftly but silently down the avenue. We
passed some distance beyond the point where we had
struck into it in the morning, to avoid tlie neighbourhood
of the village, then turning towards the shore, descended
into the valley untii we reached the stream. At this
point, it was deep and narrow, with a rapid current, but
we liad no time to look for a ford. Cries and shouts on
the hill above us, showed that we were pursued, and a
confused clamour from the village indicated the existence
of some unusual commotion there. Tum-tums were beat-
ing fiercely, and the long dismal wail of the tuba-conch
resounded through the echoing arches of the forest. We
swam the stream as silently eCs possible, Barton holding
his pistols above his head in one hand to keep the charges
dry. As we climbed the further bank, and plunged into
the wood of miros^ we could hear the splashing of the
water caused by persons fording the brook a short distance
below us, and opposite the village. In the same direction
a multitude of candlenut torches gleamed through the
foliage, and revealed dusky forms hurrying hither and
thither. We pushed on through tlie wood at the top of
our speed, until suddenly the outlines of the marae, illu-
minated by the glare of a large bonfire, loomed up before
us. A score of half-naked men, were dancing around the
fire in front of the inclosure, with the wildest and most ex-
travagant contortions of body. Seen by the fitful and waver-
ing light, their painted countenances scarcely looked like

those of human beings, and the grim, immovable idols, upon
their pedestals, seemed vaster a7id mcire hideous than ever.

262 THE FLIGHT.

" As we turuedj and plunged into the grove again^ i*e-
sinning our flight in a somewhat altered direction, au
eager shout announced that we had been seen. But this
cry proceeded, not from the group in front of the marae,
who were wholly absorbed in their savage orgies, but from,
a straggling party of pursuers from the village, to whom
the light of the boniire had betrayed us. The chase was
now no longer random or uncertain ; they came on like
hounds in full view of the game, uttering yells that- caused
the blood to curdle in my veins. My strength began to
fail, and I felt a horrible spell creeping over me, like that
"which often in dreams, deprives us of the power to fly
some appalling dangei'. Rokoa restrained his superior
speed, and kept beside Barton and myself ' Courage,
Artua!' he said, *we are near the shore ;' and he offered
me his hand to assist me, but I would not take it. Not-
ivithstanding onr ntmost exertions our pursuers gained
upon us. I was very nearly exhausted when we reached

the ravine which divided the miro-grove from the bread-
fruit plantation, and as we struggled up its steep side

Barton panted and gasped so painfully for breath, that 1
dreaded each moment to see him fall to the ground in-
capable of proceeding further. Bat we knew tliat our
lives were at stake, and forced ourselves to exertions which
nature ccnld not long support; still, tlie cries of our pux'-
suers, the sound of their footsteps, and the crashing of
branches in their path drew continually nearer.

" At last we had nearly traversed the breadth of the
plantation, and the welcome sound of the waves breaking

upon the beach, greeted our ears. Safety now seemed

within oiir reach, and we summoned all our remaining

energies for a final effort. The trees, growij)g more thinly

THE FLicmi'. 263

as we approached the skirt of the "woodj let in the light,
and between their truuks I caught a glimpse of the sea.
Right before us was a thicket, tangled with fern, and

scarcely twenty yards beyond it, lay the beach sliining in
the starlight. As -we turned a little aside to avoid the
thicket, an appalling yell rang out from it, and half a
dozen dark figures started from their ambush, and sprang
into the path before us. The old priest was at their bead :
ray heart sank, and I gave up all as lost. Rok6a, swinging
up his ponderous club, bounded into their midst. * On-
ward!' cried he, 'it is our only hope of escape.* His
movements were light as those of a bird, and rapid as
lightning. His first blow stretched the priest at his feet.
The savages gave way before him, scattering to the right
and left, as if a thunderbolt had fallen among them.
Barton discharged both his pistols at once, and with fatal
eflEect, as was witnessed by the groans that followed.
Before they could rally or recover themselves, we had
bui'st through their midst. As we reached the shore, I
looked round and missed Barton — he was no longer beside
me. An exulting cry behind us at once explained his
absence: at the same time we could hear him call out in a
voice broken by exhaustion, 'Save yourselves, you can do
nothing for me !' AVithout an instant's hesitation, !Rok6a
turned, and we rushed back into the midst of our shouting
enemies. Three or four of the party which had been in
pursuit of US, were just coming up. The audacity and
desperation of our attack seemed to confound them, and
two of their number fell almost without a struggle beneath
llokoa's rapid and resistless blows. Two more of them,
who were dragging Barton away, were compelled to Icavo
him at liberty in order to defend themselves. At that

264 THE FLIGHT*

momexit a sudden, shout from the water raised by out
crew, "who had either heard our voices, or seen us when we
came out upou the shore, increased their panic by causing
them to supj^ose that we were leading back our whole
party to the fight. They hastily gave way before us, and
we had all turned once more, and gained the beach before
they recovered from their surprise, and perceived their
mistake.

" Our boat was just outside the surf, where the crew
were keeping her steady with their paddles. We liailed
them, and plunged in the water to swim out to them. The
natives, stung with shame and rage at having their
prisoner toru from them in the very moment of triumph,
with such reckless boldness, swarmed down to the beach
and pursued us into the water. They seemed excited
almost to frenzy at the prospect of our escape. Some
standing upon the shore assailed the canoe with showera
of stones, by which several of our men were wounded.
Others swam out after us, as if about to endeavour to
board the vessel, and did not turn back until we had
hoisted our sail, and began to draw steadily from the land.

" And thus ends the story of the Cannibal Island of
Angatan."

"Is that alU" inquired Johnny, looking somewhat dis-
appointed.

" YeSj that is all," answered Arthur, "it comes as near
to being a cannibal story, as any thing I know. I did not
see any one actually roasted and eaten, but if the savages
had caught us, I suspect there would have been more to
tell, and Drobably no one here to tell it."

rTHK iXlGIlT. 263

** But," persisted Johnny, " the story don't end there.
You haven't told us about the rest of the voyage, and
whether Rokoa found his brother at last."

" O, that don't properly belong to this story. Accoivi-
ing to all artistical rules I ought to end precisely where I
have, in order to i>re3erve the unities. But some other
time, if you wish, I will tell you all about it."

" Pray don't talk of artistical rules," exclaimed Max,
" afler showing yourself such an egregious bungler! You
Iiad there all the elements of a capital story, and you h;u'o
just spoiled them."

" ' How prove you that, in the great heap of your
knowledge'" cried Browne, "^come now, unmuzzle your
wisdom,' and specify the blunders of which he has been
gui] ty. I say, with Touchstone, ' instance briefly, shepherd ;

come, instance.

" Wliy, in the first place, there was a miserly spirit of
economy in regard to his men. He should have invested
tJio narrative with a tragic interest, by killing Rokoa and
Barton, at least; — being the narrator he couldn't kill him-
self conveniently ; — but he might, with good effect, have
been *diingerously wounded.'"

" But suppose," said Arthur, " that I wanted Kokoa to

figure in a future story, and so couldn't afford to kill him
just yetl"

" A miserable apology! it evinces a lamentable povei-ty
of imagination to make one character serve for two dia-
tinct tales."

"Well, a further instance, 'gentle shephei'd,'" cried

Bi-owne, " * a more sounder instance.' "

" Then, again," resumed Max, with an oracular all-, "It

was a capital ei'ror to make OUa a married woman ; what

n»

2C<? THE FLIGHT.

bashie33 1 should like to know, can a married woman liavo
in a story 1 — She belongs properly to the dull prosaic
region of coraiuoii life — not to the fairy land of romance.
!Now tlie charm of sentiment is as necessary to a perfect
tale, as the interest of adventure, or the excitement of con-
ilict, and ]iad Olla been single, there wonld have been the
elements of sometliing beantifully sentimental."

" Enongli!" cried Browne, "if you have not ^ lamed me
with reasons,' you have at least overwhelmed me with
words — there now ! I believe I am unconsciously catching
the trick of your long-winded sing-song soutences — it must
be contagious."

" "Well," said Arthur, " I give over the ^ materials ' to
Max, with full permission to work them up Into a romance
after his own fashion, introducing as much slaughter and
sentiment as he shall judge requisite for the best effect, and
when completed, it shall be inserted by way of episode in
our narrative."*

* Upon consulting the charts, we find an island called " Ahang-
atan," (of which Angatan is perhaps a contraction,) laid down on
some of them, about one hiindi-ed and fiftv miles north of Hao. On
others, the same island is called Ahangatoff. The U. S. Exploring
Expedition visited HaOj and most of the neighbouring islands, but we
have not been able to discover any mention of Angatan in the
published records of the expodition-

KOUSE- BUILDTNO. ^R*^

CHAPTER XXIT

T

HOUSE-BUILDING.

DAWW ON THl! L\aOON — Till:: " SKA ATTOUNKy" — TH15 " SUA lilt UK*
TRUMINATOR" — MAX " CARUIHS THH WAR INTO AFRTCA."

Another hour must pass erg day grows bright,

And ere the little birds begin discourse

In quick low voices, ere the streaming light

Pours on their nests, jnst sprung from day's fresh source.*'

After the late hours we hud kept on tlie last evening,
most of lis would willingly have prolonged our shirabers
beyond the time previously fixed for setting out upon our
return to Castle-liill. But before it was fairly light,

Arthur was np, with an unseasonable and provoking
alacrity, calling loudly upon ns to bestir ourselves.

In vain Browne apostrophized him in moving strains as
** the rude disturber of his pillow," remonstrated against
such unmerciful punctuality, and petitioned for another
nap ; in vain Max protested that we were not New York
shop-boys, obliged to rise at daylight to make fiires, and
open and sweep out stores, but free and independent desert
islanders, who had escaped from the bondage of civilized
life, and the shackles of slavish routine, and who need not
get up until noon, unless of onr own good pleasure. Arthur

2d6 nousE-iiuiLuiNy.

was iuexorablej and finding that further sleep was out of
the questionj we yielded at last to his despotic pertinacity,
and groped our way into the boat, yawning desperately,
aad not more than half awake.

The sea-fowl had not yet begun to stir iu their nests,
when we puaheu oul* in*a t>;d lagoon, and commenced pull-
ing homeward — a& w e had now almost come to regard it —
holding a course midway between the reef and the shore.
A few moments' exercise at the oars sufficed to dispel our
hvwsiuess, and to reconcile us somewhat to the early start,
which we had so reluctantly taken.

The faint grey light revealed the sleeping landscape,
invested with the delicious freshness and repose of the
earliest dawn iu summer. The shores of the island, with
their dense masses of verdure, were so perfectly mirrored
in the lagoon, that the peculiar characteristics of the
different kinds of foliage could be distinguished in their
reflections. The drooping plumes of the palms, the lance-
shaped i:)andauus leaves, and the delicate, filmy foliage of
tlie casuarina, were all accurately imaged there ; the
inverted shore below, with its fringe of trees and shrub-
bery, looking scarcely less substantial and real, than its
counterpart above. But as the light increased, those
reflections lost their softness, and the clearness of their

outlines. The gradually brightening dawn, cast new ami

rapidly changing lights and shades upon the waters and
the shores; and the latter, whicli, as we moved onward,
we beheld every moment from a new point of view,
chariiied the eye with a perpetual variety. In some places
they were abrupt and bold ; in others smoothly rounded,
or gently sloping. oSTow we were opposite a jutting pro-
montory, which, crowned with verdure, and overgrown

HO CSE-BU ILDIN J. 9. 69

with penJuloua and creeping plants, puBhed out over th**
narrow alluvial belt of shore, to the Avater;d edge; n^fW
shooting past it, we cau;,dit a sudden and tr^nsienl gLujiynfi
of some cool valle}^, opening down to the lagoon, trnd
etretchins: awav inland throucrh vistas of fine trees.

Johnny expressed a fervent wish that he was a painter,
in order that we might sail round* the island, take sketches
of the scenery, and then jmint a panorama, embracing ail
the best views, by exhibiting which at twenty-five cents a
head, we should all ma]<e our fortunes upon getting home.
He appeared to have some doubts, however, whether that
particular time of day could be painted, even by the most
accomj^jlished artist. The lagoon channel wound through
fields of bi^anching coral trees of luxuriant growth, among
wliich, numbers of large fidh Avere moving sluggishly about,
as if they had got up too early, and were more than half
inclined to indulge in another nap. As we passed over a
sort of bar, where there was not more than a fathom and
a half of water, we espied an immense green turtle a.t the
bottom, quietly pursuing his way across our track, and
though by no means a beautiful creature, looking infinitely
happier and more lively than the dull-eyed wretches of his
race, which 1 liave seen lying on their backs, at the doors
of the New York I'estaTirants, ready to be converted into
soup and steaks. Johnny mourned over the impracti-
cability of making any attempt at his capture, and heaved
.a sigh which seemed to come from the bottom of his heart,
as the unsightly reptile disappeared among the mazes of
the submarine shrubbery. The hardship of the case, seemed
io be greatly aggravated in his eyes, as he contrasted it
■vith the better fortune of Robinson Crusoe and the Swiss
Family, the former of whom, as he reminded us, caught

270 aOUSiC-liUILDlNG.

" any quanMty of turtles" on the oeacli of his island, with
r)n other trouble than that of turning them over upon their
Irfioks; while the latter, having surprised an enormous
fellow, taking an afternoon nap on the surface of the water,
treacherously harpooned him in his sleep, and then, steer-
ing him as easily as one would drive a well-broken nag,
compelled him to tow themselves and their pinnace ashore.
A somewhat startling incident put an end to these
interesting reminiscenctiS. Johnny was leaning over the
gimwale, and with his face almost touching the surface,
and his hands playing in the water, was peering down into
the lagoon, probably on the look out for another turtle,
when a large shark, coming as it seemed from beneath the
boat, rose suddenly but quietly, and made a snatch at him.
Johnny saw the monster barely in time; for just as he
sprang up with a cry of affright, and fell backwards into
the boat, the shark's shovel-nose shot four feet above water
at our stern, his jaws snapping together as he disappeared
again, with a sound like the springing of a powerful steel-
trap. Though baffled in his first attack, the voracious
fish continued to follow us, watching closely an opportunity
for a more successful attempt. He was a large brown
shark, of the species known to sailors as the " sea-attorney,**
which designation, together with his fi^rmidable reputation
for keenness, vigilance, and enterprise, shows the estimation
in which the members of the ancient and honourable pro-
fession of the law, are held by the honest sons of Neptune.
Max professed to recognize him, as our acquaintance of
the previous evening, by whom himself and Browne had
been for a time kept in a state of blockade : our present
visiter, certainly evinced the same uncommon fierceness

and audacity which had astonished us in the individual

nor,BE-BUlLDlKG.

.271

referred to. He was a trim, round-bodied, compaf^t f«Ur/*7,
with a wonderful disj-)Iay of vigour, and even of grace, in
Ills movements ; but though not without a certain kind of
beautv, T do not wish to be understood as savinE: that his
persou'il appearance was upon the whole, prepossessing.
On the contrary, his expression, if I may venture to usjj
the term (and lie certainly had a good deal of expression),
was, if not decidedly bad, at the least, exceedingly sinister.
ilia flattened head, and long leather-like snout, together
witli a pair of projecting goggle eyes, so situated as to
command a view both in front and rear, and which he
kept turning restlessly on every side, contributed greatly
to enhance this forbidding aspect. Every moment he
seemed to grow fiercer and bolder, and at length ho
actually laid hold of our keel next the rudder, and fairly

shook the boat from stem to stern. To our great relief,
he soon dcsisteil from this, for such was his bulk and
strength, that we hardly knew what he might not effect in
his furious efforts. His next move, was to make a sudden
dash at Max's oar, which had probably given him offence
by coming too near his nose, and which he jerked from
his hands.

Max seemed to regard this last exploit as a personal
affront, and loudly declared that " this was going altogether
too far, and that he should not stand it any longer." He
accordingly proceeded with great energy, to lash his cut-
lass to the handle of one of the remaining oars, with some
twine which he found in the locker, threatening: all sorts
of terrible things against the unsuspecting object of
his wrath. Meanwhile Morton succeeded in fishing up
the lost oar, which the vigilance and activity of our
attentive escort rendered a somewhat dangerous under-

272 tiOUSE-BUlLDING.

taking; -when recovered, the marks of six rows of forml-
dable teeth were found deeply indented upon its blade.

Max having completed hia novel weapon, Browne, who
had been engaged in an unprofitable attempt to strike the
shark across the eyes with his cutlass, inquired, " what he
was going to do with that clumsy contrivance?"

"That clumsy contrivance, as you rashly term it," replied
Max, "With dignity, " is designed as a shark-exterminator,
with which I intend forthwith to pay my respects to this
audacious sea-bully. We have stood on the defensive
quit^ long enough, and I am now about to carry the war
Into Africa."

He accordingly jumped upon the middle seat of the
yawl, where, in spite of all attempts at dissuasion, he stood
watching a favourable opportunity for a thrust. This was
soon presented. All unconscious of the unfriendly designs

cherished against him, the shark came propelling himself
carelessly alongside, and directly under Max's nose, with
his back fin quite above water. The temptation was not
to be resisted. Mas braced himself as firmly as possible
in his position: Arthur expostulated, and begged liini at
least to get down and stand in the boat; Morton exhorted
him to caution. But ho only answered by a wave of the
hand and a grim smile ; then requesting Browne to lay
fast hold of hi3 waist-band, to assist him in preserving the
centre of gravity, he raised his weapon in both liands, and
giving it a preliminaiy flourish, brought it down with his
full force, aiming at the broadest part of the fish's back,
just forward of the dorsal fin. But the weapon was too
dull, or the blow too feeble, to pierce the tough hide of the
*' soa-attorney," for it glanced smoothly off, and Max losing
hia balance, went headlong into the sea. Browne, in a hastj

ItoUSE-BUILDI.Va. $73

effort to save hin? came near going over also, wl lie the
boat careened unUl the water poured in over the gunwale,
and for a moment there was imminent danger of capsizing.
Max came to the surface, almost parah'zed with fright,
and clutched convulsively at the side of the boat; when
we drew him on board unharmed, but pale and shivei'ing,
as he well might be, after so extraordinary an escape. The
shark had disappeared, and was now nowhere to bo seen.
A^ot being accustomed to Max's system of " carrying the
war into Africa," so sudden and headlo;:g an attack iu his
own element had probably somewhat disconcerted him.
Max made a great effort to assume an air of composure
"Well!" said he, looking coolly around, **' the enemy has I
perceive beaten a retreat. I dare say he was quite as
much frightened as I was, and that is saying a good
deal."

" But what has become of that patent shark- extermi-
nator 1 " observed Browne, " I don't see it anywhere : has the
enemy carried it off as a trophy of victory, as conquering^
knights take possession of the arms of their vanquished

adversaries ?'*

" It is much more likely," replied Max M'ith dis-
dain, "that he has carried it off stuck fast in his car-

cass."

But neither supposition proved to be correct, for we
presently picked up the "exterminator," floating sear us.
Johnny narrowly examined the blade, and was much
disappoinled at not finding "any blood on it."

Max now took an oar to steady his nerves by rowing,
for, notwithstanding his assumed composure and forced
pleasantry, they had evidently been a good deal shaken by

bis recent narrow escape.

9

274 HOUSfi-BUlLDlNQ.

By the time we came in siglit of Sea-bird's Point, the
increasing light, and the rosy glow in the " dappled east,"
heralded the rising of the snn, and announced that the
heat and glare of the tropical day, were on the point of
succeeding the mild freshness of " incense-breathing morn."
Nor were other tokens wanting, that the reign of night
was over. A strange confusion of indistinct and broker
sounds, issuing from myriads of nests and perclies all along
the beach, showed that the various tribes of sea-fowl were
beginning to bestir themselves. A few slumbrous, half-
smothered sounds from scattered nests preluded the general
concert, and then the notes were taken up, and repeated
by the entire feathered population for miles along the
shore, until the clamour seemed like that of ten thousand
awakening barn-yards. And now the scene began to be
enlivened by immense multitudes of birds, rising in the
air, and hovering in clouds over the lagoon. Some wheeled
around us in their spiral flight; others skimmed the water

like swallows, dipping with marvellous promptness after any
ill-starred fish that ventured near the surface ; others
again, rose high into the air, from whence, by their incredible
keenness of sight, they seemed readily to discern their
prey, when, poising themselves an instant on expanded
wings, they would pounce perpendicularly downward, and
disappearing entirely in the water for an instant, emerge,
clutching securely a struggling victim. But in carrying
on this warfare upon the finny inhabitants of the lagoon,
the feathered spoilers were not perfectly united and harmo-
nious; and fierce domestic contentions occasionally inter-
rupted and diversified their proceedings. A number of
unprincipled man-of-war hawks, who preferred gaining
their livelihood by robbing their neighbours and associates,

HOUSK-BUlLDlNG. 27ft

to relyiug upon their own honest industry, would sail
lazily around on wide-spread pinions, watching with the
ulr of unconcerned spectators the methodical toil of tlae
plodding gaunets. But the inatant that one of tlae latter
rose from a successful plunge, with a plump captive writhing
in his grasp, all appearance of indifference would vanish,
and some dark~plv\maged pirate of the lagooUj pouncing
down like lightning upon his unwarlike neighbour, would
ruthlessly despoil him of his hard-earned priae. One of
these piratical gentry suffered before our eyes a fato
wortliy of liis rapacity. A gannet had seized upon a Ssb
much larger tlian his strength enabled him to manage,
and was struggling in vain to lift it into the air, when a
hawk darteJ upon them, and striking his talons into the
fiwh, put the gannet to flight. But the greedy victor had
greatly miscalculated the strength of his intended prey,
A desperate conflict, sometimes under water, and some-
times just at the sur-face, ensued. The hawk struggled
gallantly, but in vain, and was at length drawn under by
his ponderous antagonist to rise no more.

"We landed a short distance beyond Johnny's row of
" Oyster-trees," and by the time we had climbed the hill,
the sun had risen, *i;hough not yet visible above the wooded
heiglits which sheltered us to the eastward.

"We were so intent upon our house-building project,
that contenting ourselves with a self-denying bi-eakfast
of cocoa-nuts, we at once set zealously to work in canying
it out .

Arthur directed, superintended, and laid out the woJic
in detail. Morton, havinn; fitted a handle to the hatchet-
head, and laboriously sharpened it upon a rough stone,
undertook to supply materials as fast as called for. Whil^

2?6 tiOUSE-BtJltDll^Q.

lie cut down trees of the kind and size required by Artlntf,
Max trimmed off tlie branches with his cutlass, and pre-
pared them for use. Johnny and Eiulo dragged them to
the site of the building, where Browne and I assisted
Arthur in setting the posts into the ground, and putting
together the frame of the house. Of course, our destitution
of proper tools and implements rendered all this exceed-
ingly laborious, and but for Arthur's perseverance and
■ ingenuity w^e should more than once have given up in
despair. Instead of S2:)ades, we were obliged to use sharp
bivalve shells from the shore, in digging places for the
upright posts of the building, and as it was necessary
that these should be set quite deep, in order to give it firm-
ness and stability, the toil was severe. Max, who came
up occasionally to see how the work was progressing, and
to offer suggestions and criticisms (more especially the
latter), on finding us upon our knees, patiently grubbing
up the earth with our shells, flatteringly compared us to
so many hedge-hogs excavating their burrows.

Nevertheless, we persevered ; and before night we
had nearly completed the frame of our building, with
the exception of the ridge-pole, the rafters, and cross-
pieces.

The posts at the sides stood six feet cut of the giound,
and were stationed about three feet apart. The centre-
posts, to support the ridge-pole, were nine feet high, and
made from the trunks of well-grown trees, some six inches
in diameter. This certainly was a good day's work under

the circumstances ; at any rate, we were quite unanimous
in considering it so ; and towards twilight we went down
to the beech for our evening bath, in an exceedingly com-
placent and self-satisfied state of mind; Max enlarging upon

IlOUSE-BUILDlNa. 277

the pleasures of industry, and professmg to bo in tlio presenf
enjoyment of those feelings —

"Which follow arduous duty well performed,**

Instead of repairing to onr nsual bathing-place, we pro-
ceeded along the beach to the north-west, until we reached
the dump of trees at the edge of the water, already men-
tioned as being visible from Castle-hill. As we approached
the spot, we found that what had appeared at a distance
to be but a single group of trees, was, in fact, a small grove
extending along the shore, and fringing a little cove of
nearly elliptical form, which at this point set into the land.
The narrow, shelving beach, rivalled the whiteness of a

fresh snow-drift. The trees were mostly cocoa-palms;
indeed, scarcely any others could flourish in such a spot;
and there were no shrubs or undergrowth of any kind.
The cove was perhaps a hundred paces long, and half as
svide in the widest part ; contracting to less than fifty feet
where it communicated with the lai^oon. The water was
clear, the bottom smooth and regularly formed, and the

greatest depth was only eight or ten feet. Max, after
viewing the cove with the eye of a connoisseur, pronounced
it a noble spot for bathing purposes, and fully equal to the
basin on the reef in every respect, except in depth and
acilities for diving.

The impression of his morning's adventure, however,
was still fresh, and he hinted at the possibiKty that some
fihark of elegant tastes, and possessing an eye for the
lieautiful, might be in the habit of frequenting the cove.
Arthur volunteered to keep watch at the narrow entrance,
while the rest of us were bathing, in order to give timely
liotice of the approach of tlie dreaded enemy; but on

278 nousE-BuiLDiNa

-walking out to the edge of the lagoon we found that this
precaution ■would be unnecessary. A bar^ consisting of a
coral patch, very near the surface, stretched across the
mouth of the cove, rendering it almost impossible for a
shark to enter.

Johnny named the spot, " The Mermaid's Cove/' but this
possessive designation was merely complimentary, for so far
were we from renouucing the cove in favoui' of the mer-
maids, that from the day on which we discovered it, it
became one of our favourite and resrular resorts.

THE CABIN BY THE LAKE. 2

OHAPTEK XXV.

THE CABIN BY THE LAKE

A DEMOCRAT IX TIU: WOOPS — ECHO-VALE AND LAKK LAICOMO
THR*^' WILD FRKXCUMAN" DISCOVKIIKD AT LAST.

" A few firm stakes they [)lanted in the ground,
Circling a narrow space, but large enow,
These strongly iiiterknit they closed around
"With basket-work of many a pliant bough.
The roof was like the sides; the door was low,
And rude the hut, and trimmed with little care,
For little heart had thev to dress it now:
Yet was the humble structure frep'j and fair.
And soon the inmates found that peace might sojourn there."

It took us an entire week to complete the iVame of our
building, and this alone involved an amount and variety of
labour whicli few of us had anticipated when we commenced
it. One day was consumed in selecting, felling, and trimming

a tree, tall and straight enough to serve as a ridge-pole.
We next had to get out some thirty rafters of hibiscus to

support the roof. Then, as we had no nails (Max's ship

with the hardware net having yet arrived), we were obliged

to adopt the means used by the Polynesian builders for

fastening the rafters to the ri.''ge-pnle and cross-pieces,

which coiasists of tying them fii-mly in their places witi

2R0 THIS CABIN BY THE LAKE.

senuit. To siipply the place of sennitj we manufactured a
quantity of cord from twisted hibiscus bark, which answered
the purpose very well.

At length the skeleton of the house was completed.
T\venty-seven strong posts (including the three tall centre
ones}, deeply planted in the ground, supported the string
pieces and tho ridge-pole. Fifteen slender rafters, regu-
larly placed at small intervalsj descended from the ridge-pole
to the eaves on either side, and the whole was firmly bound
together with tough and durable withes of our own manu-
facture.

The thatching occupied another week, and but for Eiulo's
skill and dexterity, we should never have accomplished this
nice and difficult operation, except after a very bungling
and imperfect fashion. Arthur understood very well how
it should be done, but his knowledge was theoretical rather

than practical, while Eiulo had acquired considerable skill
in the art, by building and thatching miniature houses in
tlie woods, an amusement which he and his yonng playmates
had often practised at home. The only thing now remain-
ing to be done, was to make a number of coarse mats, with
which to enclose the sides of the house — as far as in such a
climate it is desirable to enclose them — together with au
additional supply, ready to be put up in bad weather, on
fasteninga constructed for the purpose. But for this, there
seemed to be no immediate necessity. The sides of the
building were low, and the eaves extended two feet be-
yond them, and as we had an excellent roof above us, we

considered ourselves tolerably prepared, even for rainy
weather. However, we commenced manufacturing mats,
in which, with the instruction and example of Arthur and
Eiulo, we were tolerably successful j but we proceeded with

THE CABIN BY THE LAKE. 281

this very ranch at our leisure. One or two brief showers,

like th.it which had exerted so sudJea an influence in

liastening the commencement of our building scheme,

afforded us the most satisfactory evidence of the good

qualities of our roof, wliich did not admit a drop of rain.

But at the same time we became aware of another defect

in our house, as a dwelling in wet weather. "VVe had no

floor but the bare earth, and though Arthur liad so levelled

it, and protected it by a little trench and embankment, that

no water from the adjacent grounds could reach us, except

by the gradual process of saturation, still it was very damp

after a severe rain. To remedy this, Arthur talked from

time to time of making a floor of cement, which would dry

to the hardness of stone, and through which the moisture

from the ground could not penetrate. When asked where

lime was to be obtained with which to make hia cement,

he assumed an air of mystery, and merely said that there

would be no difficulty on that score. One day, after we

had got a large supply of mats completed, and ready for

use, he again recurred to the subject of improving our floor,

and explained that he intended to prepare his mortar or
cement, from sand and lime, the latter of which was to be

procured by burning coral rock in a pit. He prevailed
Tipon Morton, Browne, and myself, to set about digging a
"lime pit" in the gully beside Castle-hiU, while he took
Eiulo and Johnny with him in the boat, to go in search of
a quantity of the sponge-shaped coral, which, he said, was
the best adapted to his purpose.

Max pronoimced the whole project a humbug, and refus-
ing to have anything to do with it, equipped himself with
club and cutlass, and started off on a solitary excursion
towards the south-easterly part of the islaud, which we hacj

t8S THtt CABnJ BT THE LAKS,

not yet explored. He retiu^ned in tlie afternoon with a
glowing account of the discoveries he had made, among
which were a beautiful pond of fresh water, a stream flow-
ing into it, and a waterfall

Xn two days we completed a lime-pit of proper dimen-
sions. Ai-thur and his assistants had in the same time
collected and brough'^ to the spot a sufficient quantity of
coral rock ; we then covered the bottom of the pit with
fuel; and laid the coral, previously bi'okeninto small pieces,
upon it. Tho pile was next kindletl, and when the fuel was
consumed, we found that the coral had yielded a supply of
excellent lime, fine and beautifully white. Without going
into further details, it is enough to say that the rest of
Arthur's plan was carried out with the same success. Tlie
cement was made, and a thick layer of it spread over tlie
floor of the house, as evenly and smoothly as could well
be done, with no better trowels than gigantic oyster-shells.
In three days it was hard as marble, and our house was
now as complete as we could make it. It had cost xis a
great deal of severe toil; we had found the construction of
it no such holiday employment as we had imagined ; but it
was the fruit of onr own ingenuity and preseverance, the
work of our own liands, and we regarded it with much
complacency. Johnny impartially compared it with the
dwellings of I don't know how many other desert islanders,
and found it superior in some point to each and all of them.

Being now in a state of complete preparation, as M'u
flattered ourselves, for all sorts of weather, we began to
feel as though a regular out-and-ovit storm, would be rather
a luxury than otherwise, TJiese bright skies and sunny
days were very well in their way, but it wasn't in anticipa-
tion of them, that we had been planning and working for

THE CABIN BT THE LAKE. 28.'?

a month or more. There wag no use at all for our model
house in such fine weather ; indeed, while it continued, our
old lodgings under the green forest leaves and the star-light,
were far pi'eferable. It took full half a dozen of our sleep-
hig-mats (and we had but three apiece), laid upon the stony
floor of our dwelling, to make a couch half as soft as those
heaps of leaves, which we used to pile up beneath the trees
for our beds, and which we could not now introduce into
the house for fear of "making a litter." The prudent
citizen — who, having at the threatened approach of winter
laid in a bountiful provision of wood and coal, put up his
hall-stoves and his double windows, now feels quite ready,
in the strength of anthracite and hickory, to snap his
fingers in the face of Jack Frost, and bid him do his worst —
is not more impatient to have the thermometer fall to the
neighbourhood of zero, in order that he may realize the

comforts he has paid for, than were we for the advent of
Buch a storm, as would enable iis to say to one another,
" Ah ! is it not fortunate that we have a roof over our
heads? What should we do noiv^ if we had not made
timely preparation? "

Well, at last we had our wish. A shower came up one
day, in the afternoon, which did not cease in half an hour,
as the previous ones had done. On the contrary, when
darkness came on the rain still continued falling steadily,
with no sign of abatement. Johnny was in ecstasies. This
was evidently no night for camping out ; it was a night to
justify all our expenditure of labour, in planning and per-
fecting our dwelling. We liung up every extra mat, and
fastened them securely with tlie store of wooden pegs and
nins prepared for that purjjose. To be sure, we were in
complete darkness, but tb^u we were perfectly snug and

284 THE CABIN BY THE LAKE.

comfortable ; and what a luxury, to lie sheltered from the
etorm, and listen to the pattering of the rain upon the roof,
and the dismal sound of the water dripping from the eaves I
The second morning after this rain-storm, which had so
pleasantly tested the qualities of our dwelling, we started,
under Max's guidance, to make an excursion to that part
of the island, to the south-east of Castle-hill, of which he
had given so glowing an account. After haJf an hour's

toilsome march over imeven ground, we entered a grove,

which, to Johnnys great exultation, was composed almost
entirely of bread-fruit trees. 'I'hey grew with much

regularity, at almost equal distances, so as to form broad
straight avenues, overarched by a canopy of spreading
branches and dark glossy leaves. Vistas of shapely
diamond-chequered trunks stretched away in every direc-
tion, in long and shady perspective. Among the dense
masses of foliage, hung a profusion of large globes, of a
light-delicate green, or a golden yellow, the splendid fruit
of this noblest and most stately tree of the tropica. The
ripe and the unripe fruit hung side by side from the same
branches, and Johnny could hardly be persuaded to post-
pone gathering a supply of it until our return. Our course
had been upon the whole rather an ascending one, so that
this grove must have occupied an elevated situation. Tlie
ground over which it extended was nearly level, with slight
wave-like undulations. As we approaclied its easteni limit,
Max told us to prepare ourselves for the most charming
spectacle that we had ever beheld. He walked on before
with the air of a cicerone when about to exhibit a chsf
d^oeuvre, and stood waiting and beckoning for us at the
border of the grove. On joining him we found that he h;wi
scarcely exaggerated in his descriptions of the spot.

tflE CABIN BT TUE LAKS. 225

We stood at the top of a smooth and gradual descent.
Before us lay a secluded valleyj from which the land rose
ou every side, to about the elevation of the grove behind
us. In some places it ascended in gentle slopes, in others
by abrupt acclivities. In the bosom of the valley spread
a little lake of oval form, fringed in some places with shrub-
bery, while in others, groups of casnarinas extended their
long drooping boughs in graceful arches over the water.
After pausing a moment we descended to the margin of
the pond, which was so limpid that we could distinguish
every pebble at the bottom. At the upper or noi'them
end, and near the point at which we had come out of the
grove, a small stream precipitated itself some fifteen feet
down a rocky declivity, and fell into a circular basin a few
vards in diameter. Overflowing; this basin, it found its
way into the lake by another descent of a few feet. Around
the basin, and on both sides of the waterfall, were several
curious columns of basalt, and irregular picturesque piles
of basaltic rock. The plash oiE* the water, falling into the
rocky basin, was the only sound that broke the Sabbath-
like silence that pervaded the valley. There was, or
seemed to be, something unreal and dream-like about the
scene, that made us pause where we stood, in silence, as
though the whole were an illusion, which a word or a
motion would dispel.

" How beautiful!" exclaimed Browne, at last, and a soft
clear echo, like the voice of the tutelary spirit of the valley,
answered, " Beautiful !"

" Hark !" cried Johnny, " what a charming echo. Listen
again," and he shouted " Hurrah ! "

"Hurrah!" softly responded the echo, and almost in
the same breath a harsh voice, apparently close at hand,

26b TUE OABIK BY TUJi LAKE,

and whlclj ^^■as evideutly 7iot nii echo, cried out^ '' llillloh—

oh I"

We started; and gazed around us, and at each other, i„
astonishment, but we could see nothin*:; from which this
strange exclamation could proceed.

" That," said Johnny, in a trembling whisper, and seizing
Ilrowne's liaud, "tliat is the voice of the wild Frenchman
I heard in the woods near Castle-hill.'*

'^ Yes," answered Max, gravely, "who knows but there
are cannibals here? You liad better be careful, Johnuy,
liow you hurrah in the woods." Max's manner made me
suspect that he possessed some clue to the mystery which
the rest of us lacked.

" I don't care," answered Johnny, stoutl}'', while the
apprehensive glances which he cast around on every side,
hardly agreed with his valiant words, " I shall hurrah in
spite of all the savages on the island."

" Hillioh l^Hillioh ! " yelled the same voice, more fiercely

tlian before.

INIax burst into a fit of laughter, when following the

direction of his eye, we looked up, and espied an enormous
parrot perched upon a purau branch, directly over our
lieads, from which lie eyed us with a disdainful and trucu-
lent air.

"There's your wild Frenchman at last, Johnny," said
IsltiXj " I expect he'll call us to account presently for our
treatment of his hat."

" Don't give up de sheep !" screamed the parrot.

" Come," said Max, " what's the use of trying to talk
English : " it's quite plain you're a Parly-vous.'*

" Vive I'Empereur ! " shrieked the parrot.

"No doubt you can give us a song, monsieur," pursi,.ed

THE CABIK BY THE LAKE. 287

Max ; "favour us with 'Polly put the kettle ou^' s'il vous
plai t."

The bird twisted his head rouud, as thoagli giving
earnest attention to what was said ; then, after a moment,
which from his wise look seemed to be occupied in pro-
foundly considering the reasonableness of the request, he
burst forth with —

" AUong enrants de la Patrie
Le jour de gloire est arriv<5e !*"

shrieking out the two lines as though they composed a
single word. Apparently satisfied with this display of hia
accomplishmentSj he spread his wings, and flew heavily
across the lake, alighting not far from the shore, whence
sve could hear him occasionally uttering a shrill cry.
" Do you see where the parrot is now 1 " inq^uired Morton

of me, a moment afterwards.

" Yes, I see his green feathers among the foliage, but
not very distinctly."

" Unless I am much mistaken," pursued he, " there is a
shed or building of some kind among the trees, on the

other side of the lake, where he has alighted."

On shifting our ground a little, we could all perceive
between the boughs of the trees, something, that did in
fact look like a low wooden building, and after a moment's
consultation, it was agreed that Moi'ton and Max should
cross the stream (which could easily be done where it
poured into the lake), and reconnoitre, while the rest
awaited their report.

By leaping from stone to stone, and wading occasionally
foi- short distances, they picked their way to the other
Bide, and presently disappeared among the casuarinas. **'

288 tlill CABIN Bt tllK LAiCE.

about fifteen minutes they retui'ued to the shore, and sailed

for us to come over, saying that they had discovered a

bulling, which appeared, however, to have been long

deserted. Browne took Johnny upon his back, and we

forded the rapida as the others had done.
Following Mas and Morton, we soon reached a kind

of landing-place, half-way between the lake and the top of
the ascent, in the centre of which was a low wooden build-
ing, surrounded by a rude fence of pointed stakes. Entering
through a gate, hung upon leather hinges, we found our-
selves in front of the hut. It appeared to be built of timber
which had once composed part of a ship, and was put
together with considerable skill. The yard was full of
rank weeds, and damp masses of lichen and moss hung
from the eaves of the house, and covered its roof. The
door, which was furnished with a lock and brass-handle,
was closed, but not fastened ; we opened it, and entered a
large square- room, lighted by four windows, two of which
had evidently been taken from the stern of a vessel; the
remaining two seemed to have once constituted the upper
parts of sash-doors. These windows were well put into
the sides of the house, and from the appearance of all the
work about the room, I inferred that it had been done by
persons accustomed to that kind of labour. A pine-table,
which had lost half of one leg, and two chairs without
backs, composed the entire furniture of this apartment.
A, rude shelf was fastened against the wall between two
of the windows, upon which a number of earthen-ware
dishes were arranged. A smaller apartment was par-
titioned off with rough boards from the first, with which
it communicated by a simple opening or doorway^ without
any door.

THE CABIN BY THE LAKE. 28J)

In this second room were sereral low wooden frames,
probably designed as bedsteads, ranged side by side, and
a large chest, stained or painted blue. In one comer
Btood a small square writing-table, of some dark-coloured
wood, with several drawers. In another comer, Max
discovered a rusty gridiron and sauce-pan, a small iron
pot and a toasting-fork, upon which he pounced with the
eagerness of a miser lighting upon hidden treasures. The
chest *wa3 empty, but a small box, or till, fixed in one en(?
of it, contained a number of vials, a cork-screw, a tin-
canister, and a French Bible, upon the last of which Arthur
seized with as much avidity as Max had evinced in appro-
priating the cooking utensils, Johnny pulled open the
drawers of the little writing-table, and found a bunch of
quills, a spool of green ribbon, a file of invoices and billa
of lading, a oottle of Ink, and about half a ream of letter-
paper, which he declared was just what was wanted for
the purpose of writing " our story."

The place had a gloomy and deserted air, and we unani-
mously agreed that neither the dwelling nor its locatio*
was nearly as pleasant as our own at Castle-hill.

There were several articlea which we wished to carry
away with us, but we concluded to postpone this until a

future visit. Max, however, having once laid hold of the

gridiron, seemed extremely loath to part with it again,

and finally, yielding to the irresistible fascination which it

evidently had for him, he threw it over his shoulder as

we started on our return, and brought it away with him.

Having been fastidiously purified by repeated scourings

and ablutions, it proved very useful in preparing our

meals, of which fresh fish frequently formed the principrJl

2)0 TUB CABIN BY THE LAKE.

In the evening, as we sat at tlie terraced top of Castle-
hill, Johnny took seriously in hand the important busi-
ness of finding appropriate names for the discoveries of
the day.

The valley beyond the grove of bread-fruitj he cou eluded

to call "Echo Vale." For the lake itself, quite a variety
of names was suggested, none of which, however, seemed
to be entirely satisfactory. After puzzling over the
subject a long while without any result, and working
himself into quite a nervous and excited state, a happy
thought seemed all at once to suggest itself, and turning
to Arthur, he eagerly demanded what was " the most
beautiful lake in all the world]"

" Loch Katrine, to be sure ! " said Browne ; " some would
say Loch Lomond, but that is the second."

" Lake George ! " cried Mas, decisively
. ''Lake Como, in Switzerland, is said to be, by the
tourists and the poets," answered Arthur, to whom the
question had been more particularly addressed.

The *ast name seemed to please Johnny exceedingly,

and after repeating it several times with approbation, he
inquired of Arthur, " What it was that OUa, in the Can-
nibal story, called her pet wood-pigeon 1 "

" Lai-evi," answered Arthur.

" And you said that meant Little Captive," pni*eued
Johnny with great animation, " and the ' Lai ' means
little,' I suppose ? "

" Yes, 'Lai' is the diminutive."

" Well, then, I have it at last ! Our lake, though so
email, is — "

"Quite a Como for its size," intennipted Max, "and so
it shall be called—"

THE CATllN BY THE LAKK. 291

'• Lake Laicomo ! " cried Jolmny, exultingly.

I am thus particular in mentioning these names, phieily
for the benefit of all persons engaged in the preparation of
new editions of the school geographies and atlases; and I
take this opportunity, at Johnny's especial I'cquest, to call
their attention to the matter, in order that our island and
its geographical divisions may be accurately laid down
uvl described in future works of the kind referred to.

202 THE REMOVAI.

CH AFTEE XXVI,

rHK KE.MOt \i

PRF,PAnATIONS ¥011 TJtE KAINfi SEASON — OOINO IXTO WlfrTKii-
QUARTERS — " MONSIEUB PAUL" — THE PATRIARCH OF THS
TAKE.

" Now "Winter comes to ruie the varied vear.
Sullen and sad, with all his gloomy train
Of vapours, clouds, and stonns."

We had now been several months upon the island, and
notwithstanding our constant watchfulness, we had not,
daring all this time^ seen a single sail. Of the vast mul-
titudes of vessels that track the ocean in every direction,
not one Iiad visited the solitary sea that lay within the
boundaries of our horizon ; or if any had crossed th/3 verge
of the wide circle, her coming and departure had been
alike unobserved by us.

And now, by a variety of indications, it was manifest
that the winter of the tropical year was at hand. The
steady easterly breezes, which, with occasional variiitiona
of south-easterly, had hitherto prevailed, were succeeded
by violent and fickle winds, blowing sometimes from a
dozen different and opposite points of the compass iu the
course of twenty-four hours. The brief and sudden
showers which we had had at intervals for some time past

tllE REMOVAL. 2'J3

gi'iidaally became more heavy and frequent. At length,
one calm, sultry day, about noon, a storm, accompanied by
thunderand lightning came up, with so little previous notice,

that although Arthtir and myself "were at the time scarcely
two hundred yards from the house, we were thoroughly
drenched before we could reach it. And this proved to
be no mere thunder shower, such as wc had already been
two or three times surprised by. Scarcely had we got
under shelter, when the air grew so dark that it would
really have been difficult to see one's way through the
grove. I had never before witnessed any thing like this,
and I began to fear that we were going to be visited by
one of those terrible hurricanes which sometimes devastate

tropical countries. The "wind soon commenced blowing
with such violence, that the largest and sturdiest of the
old trees that surrounded our house, bent and swayed
before its fury. Their tops lashed each other overhead,
and filled the air with clouds of leaves, whirled away
upon the tempest. Large boughs were twisted off like
twigs, and strewed the ground in every direction. The
creaking and groaning of the trees ; the loud flapping
of the palm-leaves, like that of a sail loose in the wind ; the
howling and shrieking of the gale, as it burst in quick,
fierce gusts through the forest; with the almost total
darkness that enveloped us, were truly appalling.

The strength of our dwelling was now put to a severer
test than its builders had ever anticipated, and it yielded
to the force of the wind, so that at times the side-posts
stood at an angle of forty-five degrees with the floor ; had
they been of any material less tough and pliant than the
hibiscus, they must have snapped off in an instant. It
wa» well, too, that they had been deeply and firmly planted

294 THE REMOVAL.

in the ground, or the whole fabric would have been lifted
bodily into the air, and swept away like a withered leaf.
As it was, though wrenclied and twisted wofully, it stood
firm. The thatch, of which Arthur was so proud, and
which had hitherto been storm-proof, now opened in many
places, and a dozen little streams began to pour in upon
us.

Before night, the sound of running waters without, was
like that of a great spring freshet. Cataracts were leaping
on every side from the edges of the height, and a raging,
and turbid torrent filled the gully that separated the forest
from Castle-hill.

The tempest continued for nearly forty-eight hours.
By the time it was over, we had quite come to the con-
clusion, that if this was to be regarded as a foretaste and
specimen of what we had to expect during the rainy
season, it would never do to think of remaining in our
present habitation. Considering this as a timely warning,
we resolved, after a formal consultation, to put the desei'ted
cabin by the lake, forthwith into tenantable condition, so aa
to be ready to take up our winter-quarters there, if we
should find it expedient to do so.

On the first fine day, we commenced carrying this
resolution into effect, knowing that we had now but little
time to lose. The cabin had originally been built sub-
stantially, and with a good deal of skill, and it had suffered
but little from, decay. We had, in fact, nothing to do in
the way of repairing it, except to rehang the door, which
was loose, and partially unhinged, and to mend the roof,
which leaked in one or two places. We then cleared the
yard from the rank weeds by which it was overgrown,
aired the house thoroughly, by setting door and windows

THE REMOVAL. 205

Open for a day or two, ami swept out both apartments
with cocoa-nut brooms.
We next, under Arthur's direetioiij commenced laying

in a stock of provisions. Abundance of ripe bread-fruit
could now be procured. We gathered a considerable
quantity, which Arthur and Eiulo baked and pounded,
and prepared, by burying it under ground, wrapped in
leaves, in such a manner that it would keep, as tliey
said, for several months. We also piled up in one corner
of the small room, a great heap of cocoa-nuts, with the
husks on, in which way they can be preserved fresh a
long while. A bushel of candie-nuts, and about the same
cuantity of taro and patara roots, completed our winter
supplies.

Johnny was much dissatisfied with the poverty of these

preparations for the rainy season. He thought we oii|;;;ht
to have laid in a large stock of salted or smoked fish,
besides catching a score or two of turtle, and depositing
them safely upon their backs in some convenient place,
ready to be converted into soup, at any moment, by the
magic of Max's culinary art.

Arthur thought that we need not anticipate a season of
continuous storms or steady rains — that thoiigh the pre-
vailing weather for some months would be tempestuous,
there would nevertheless be some fine days in nearly every
week, during which we could venture forth.

Another storm, as violent as the last, fully decided us to
make the contemplated removal to the cabin, and that
without further delay. Johnny transported thither his
entire collection of shells, corals, &c., whicl* had now
grown to be quite extensive. Arthur carried over an
armful of specimens of plants and flowers, whicb had long

i!96 THE REMOVAL.

been accumulating for an "herbarium." Max, howevet,
averred that they were a part of the materials for a trea-
tise on " The Botany of Polynesia," which Arthur cherished
the ambitious design of composing, and which was to be
published with coloured plates, simultaneously with tba
history of our adventures. In order that he too might
have gome indoor occupation during the anticipated bad
weather, Max provided himself with a huge log, hacked
and sawed with great labour, from a bread fruit-tree,
blown down in the last gale, out of which he declared it to
be his purpose to build a miniature ship, destined to con-
vey the aforesaid history, together with Arthur's botanical
treatise, to America,

The day fixed for our final migration to " Lake Laicomo,'"
at length arrived, and taking a farewell for " the season,"
of our deserted tenement at Castle-hill, we set out for the
cabin, to spend our first night there. It was not without
some feelings of regret that "we left a spot now become so

familiar, to bury ourselves in the woods out of sight of the
sea. It seemed almost like going again into exile.

Johnny, in particular, felt greatly humiliated, at 'oe.n

O

obliged to abandon the house which had cost us so much
toil, to take refuge in one constructed by others. He
seemed to look upon this as a kind of tacit admission of
our own utter incapacity to provide for ourselves in that
respect.

On arriving at the cabin, we were somewhat surprised
to see our democratic friend the parrot, perched over the
door, as if waiting to welcome us to onr new quarters.
He appeared to be in no degree disturbed at our apj^roach,
but greeting us with one or two boisterous " V"iv%
K"apoleons!" maintained his position until we had passed

THE REMOVAL. 2{)7

into the house, when he flew in also, and alighting ou the
shelf acjainst the wall, seemed to feel as much at home as
any one. Johnny sagely suggested, that he knew that tlie
rainy season was coming on, and was anxious to eatablislx
himself in comfortable quarters until it was over : possibly
this supposition did our visiter injustice, by ascribing to
him motives more selfish and interested than those by
which he was really actuated. It is more charitable to
believe, that having been once accustomed to human com-
panionship, and being weary of his solitary life in the
woods, where his vocal accomplishments were wasted on
the desert air, he now sought our society, as being more
congenial to his tastes and education, than that of the
feathered denizens of the foi'est. Be this however as it
may, " Monsieur Paul" (as he called liimself,) from that

time took up hia abode with us, and though he would
sometimes disappear for days together, he was sure to
come back at last, when if he found the door and windows
closed (as sometimes happened) he would scream, and
hurrah for " Sheneral Shackson," until he gained ad-
mittance. One circumstance, which I am sorry to say

throws some shade of suspicion upon the pure disinterested-
ness of his motives, is, that he generally went off at the
commencement of fine weather, and returned a little
before a storm. This was so uniformly the case, that Max
used to prophesy the character of the weather by his
movements, and often, when to our eyes there was not the
slightest indication of a change, he would say — " There
comes Monsieur — ^look out for a storm presently'* — and it
was rarely that he proved mistaken in such predictions.

The second day after our removal, there was a gale, in
which great trees were blown down or torn up by thtf

ii98 THE REMOVAL.

roots. Though shaken by the force of the "wind, the cabit
was too firmly built to permit any apprehension of its
being overthrown ; and there were no trees of large size
near it, by the fall of which it could be endangered;
but we should scarcely have felt safe iu our former
dwelling.

We now improved every pleasant day to the utmost, in
completing our preparations for the period of heavy rains,
which Arthur declared to be close at hand. Browne and
Morton made a fish-pond by building a dam of loose stones
across the rapids below the fall, just where the stream en-
tered the lake. It was soon well stocked, without any
trouble on our part, with fish resembling roach and perch,
numbers of which were carried over the fall, and prevented
by the dam from escaping into the lake. "We also collected
a large quantity of bread-fruit bark; and of the fibx-ous
netting which binds the stalk of the cocoa-nut leaf to the
trunk, to be worked up in various ways. This singular
fabric, which in texture somewhat resembles coarse cotton
cloth, is often obtained from the larger trees in strips two

or three feet wide. It is strong and durable, and is used
by the natives for making bags, and for other similar
purposes. Garments too, are sometimes made from it,
though for that purpose tappa is preferred. While the
leaves are young and tender, this remarkable substance
is white and transparent, quite flexible, and altogether a
delicate and beautiful fabric, but not sufficiently strong
to be put to any useful purpose : as it becomes older and
tougher, it assumes a yellow colour, and loses much of its
flexibility and beauty. A quantity of hibiscus-bark waa
also collected^ to be used in the manufacture -^f cord for
fshing-lines, nets, &c

THE REMOVAL. 29ll

While tAo rest of us were actively engaged, under Ar-
thur's direction, in accumulating a stock of these materials,
Max devoted all his energies to the task of capturing an
enormous eel which frequented the upper end of the lake.
But he exhausted all his ingenuity in this endeavour with-
out success. The monster had a secure retreat amoncc the
submerged roots of an old buttress tree, beneath an over-
hanging bank, from which Max daily lured him for^.h by
jhi'owing crumbs into the water ; but after devouring the
food that was thrown to him, he would immediately return
to his stronghold under the bank. Max was at great
pains to manufacture a fish-hook out of a part of a cork-
screw found in the till of the bh;e chest, by means of which
he confidently expected to bring matters to a speedy and
satisfactory issue between himself and his wary antagonist.
But the latter would not touch the bait that concealed the

hook. Driven to despera tion by this unexpected discom-
fiture, Max r.ext made sundry attempts to spear and
" harpoon" him, all of which signally failed, so that at the
end of the brief interval of fine weather, this patriarch of
the lake, whose wisdom seemed to be proportioned to liis
venerable age and gigantic size, remained proof against all
the arts and machinations of his chagrined and exas-
perated enemy.

3o0 M-I>-TEn EVEN'INGS At IIOMli

CHAPTEli XXVIl

■WINTER EVENINGS AT HOME.

AUUSEMENxa AND OCCUPATIONS — STORY-TELLING — THK SOUTH-tt

LYCEUM.

" When the winter nights grow long,
And tlie winds without blow cold,
"We sit in a ring round, the warm wood fire,
And listen to stories old."

Having now brought my story down to the period of

ovir getting iuto winter-quarters at Lake Laicoiuo (where,
during the last few weeks, the foregoing portion of thia
narrative has been written,) I shall change my tenses, for
the present chapter at least, while 1 sketch the occupaliona
and amusements by which we endeavour to fill up the
time of our imprisonment.

The rainy season is now nearly over, and we have got
through it much more comfortably and pleasantly than we
anticipated. The few fine days during which we finished
our preparations for it, as mentioned in the last chapter,
were succeeded, in accordance with Arthur's prediction, by
more than a week of steady rain, and for sevei-al weeks
there was not a day without rain. During this tmie, of
course, we were thrown entirely upon our in-door re-

TVIl^TKR EVENINGS AT HOME. 301

sources, and, thauks to the forethought which had provided
an abundant store of materials, upon which the ingenuity
or industry of each of us coiild be variously exercised, we
have thus far managed to keep pretty busy.

We have twisted a great store of cord for fishiug-llnes,
nets, and other purposes, from the supply of hibiscus bark
previously laid in. "We have also manufactured more than
a dozen pairs of serviceable moccasins, with no other
materials than cocoa-nut cotton and bread-fruit bark.
Browne has made a chess-board, and rudely but elabo-
rately carved a complete set of men, of gigantic size, in
which he has evinced much skill and ingenuity, and a vast
deal of perseverance. The castles are mounted upon the
backs of elephants, which Johnny innocently mistook for
enormous swine with two tails a-piece. The knights are
provided with shields, bearing St. Andrew's cross and the
thistle for a device, and w^ould have been arrayed, without
doubt, in kilt and tartan had it been possible. The bishops
wear grotesque-looking cocked hats, intended for mitres,
and their coxmtenances are so singularly truculent and
unprepossessing, that Max accuses the artist of having vi
this petty way, evinced '^lis Scottish and Presbyterian
spite against Episcopacy."

Morton has, among other things, made a couple of nets,
and a mortar and pestle for pounding bread-fruit and taro.

Max's time and attention have been chiefly devoted to
the manufacture of a variety of warlike weapons, among
which are four or five formidable bludgeons, which he
styles "Feejee war-clubs," made from the hard and pon-
derous wood of tlie casuarlna. He has also worked a good
deal, at intervals, upon the huge log, out of which tho
** Messenger ship " is to be constructed.

50^ WINTER EVENINGS AT HOME.

-Arthur has been more usefully en^ployeJ in contriving
two frames or stands, designed as candlesticks for holding
the native substitute for candles, which substitute consista
simply of a cocoa-nut stalk, some eighteen inches long,
strung with candle-nuts. These nuts are of about the size
of a horse-chestnut, and contain a considerable quantity of
oil: they are the fruit of one of the largest and most
magnificent trees of our island. One nut will burn from
CivQ to ten minutes, according to its size, and if they are
pressed closely together upon the stalk, the flame commu-
uicates readily from one to another, affording a tolerably
clear and steadv licclit until the entire strincr is con-
sumed.

To supply the place of Johnny's jacket and trousers,
which are completely worn out, Arthur lias made, from
two or three large strips of cocoa-nut cotton, a garment
resembling the South American " ponclio," being a loose
wi'/ipper, vrlth a circular aperture tlu-ough which the head
of the wearer is to be thrust. It is by no means an elegant
article of apparel, and Johnny was at first inclined to look
upon it with disfavour. But upon being informed that it
was in all respects, except the material of ■which it was

made, like the "tiputa," foi'merly worn by the Tahitian
chiefs and men of note, he became fully reconciled to it.

These (which I mention merely as a sample of our in-
dustrial labours), and similar tasks, furnish us occupation
during the day. As soon as it gets dark, we set out the
broken-legged table in the middle of the room, and lighting
three or four skewers of candle-nuts, amuse or employ
ourselves in a variety of ways. Browne and Morton fre-
quently sit down to a game of chess, or seizing a couple
of Max's " Feejee wai^-clubs," practise the broadsword

WINTER EVKNINGS AT HOME. ^;)3

exercise, in wliiiih BrownCj who has some skill in fencin^^
occasionally gives lessons to the rest.

Arthur has opened an evening-school, in which he
teaches Eiulo reading and writing, and gives Johnn/
instruction in botany and conchology, nsing his "herba-
rium," and Johnny's collection of shells, for the purpose of
illustration. He also writes a good deal, and asks Eiulo
many questions respecting the customs, ceremonies, and
IrailitioiiS of Tewa. Occasionally, during such conversa-
tions, wlion he makes a note of something new or striking,
Max laughs, and says, that in addition to the great work
on the botany of Polynesia, Arthur designs to enlighten
the world with a learned treatise on the " Traditions and
Superstitions of the South Sea Islanders."

Johnny either re-arranges his " collection," or plays jack
straws with Eiulo, or devotes himself to the education of
the parrot.

As for me, I have hitherto amused myself during the
evenings in writing up " the narrative," and occasionally
reading portions of it aloud, claiming, however, the privi-
lege of skipping such passages as I think proper. It having
been solemnly resolved that the " history of our adven-
tures" must be written in the form of a "regular desert-
island story," to use Johnny's expression, and divided into
chapters, Max insists that the commencement of each
chapter should be furnished with a poetical motto, and
offers, in the capacity of a dictionary of quotations, to
furnish scraps of rhyme for that purpose, to order, in any
quantity required, and at the shortest notice, upon merely
being informed of the sentiment with which the motto is
desired to harmonize.

After hearing the narrative thus far. with the exception

304 WIXTEE EVEXIXGS AT HOME.

of such portions as I liave tliought jiroper to omit, Max.
expresses strong distrust of my fairness and impartiality
as a historian. He accuses me iu particular, of having
done him injustice by omitting some of his most remark-
able exploits, as well as many brilliant sayings upon a
great variety of subjects. He declares that I do not
understand and appreciate him — that I am incapable of
doing so; and that I have unjustly, though perhaps uuin-
tentioually, represented him as a trifling, light-minded
sort of person. I have, therefore, felt bound to record
this protest of the injured party, but having just road it
to him, he pronounces it unsatisfactory, and an aggrava-
tion of the original wrong.

Sometimes, as a variation of our evening amusements,
we put out the lights, and sit and tell stories in the dark.
Browne's memory is stored with an unfailing supply of

marvellous tales and legends, founded upon Scottish his-
tory and tradition, or the habits and superstitions of the
people : some relate to wraiths, warnings, second sight, &c. ;

fiome ilhistrate the prowess of Scottish heroes and worthies,
from Bruce and Wallace wight, down to Jolmny Arm-
Strong and Rob E^y Macgregor; others, again, are wild
and tragical tales of covenanting times, or of the sufferings
endured, and the dangers encountered by his countrymen,
f jr their religious faith, from the time of tlie murder of
"holy Patrick Hamilton, the first Scottish martyr," to the
forays of prelatical moss-troopers, and the butcheries of

Oiaverhouse, in later days.

The chief point of ail Browne's narratives, however
various their subjects, is to illustrate the superiority of
Seotl;iud, and every thing Scottish, from martyrs to mendi-
cants, and from heroes to highwaymen, ovir all the rest

WINTER EVENINGS AT IIOMh. 305

of the world in general, and the sister kingdom in parti-
cular. I "was greatly amused by one of his stories, •which
related how a Scottish border-robber outwitted and plun-
dered an English professional brother. In his patriotic
resolution to uphold the superiority of his country in all
respects, Browne was not even willing to allow that the
pilferers and marauders sonth of the Tweed, could at all
compare in address and audacity, with those who enjoyed
the advantage of having been bred to the north of it.

Max, too, was (at least in Johnny's estimation), a famous
story-teller, almost equal in fact to Schehezerade, of the
Thousand and One Nights. His stories, however, were of
an entirely different character from those of Browne. They
had no savour of historic or traditionary truth, — no rela-
tion to actual life, — and in this consisted their great charm.
Their subject matter, was the wonderful exploits of bold
knights-errant, sallying forth, attended by their trusty
esquires, in search of high adventures ; their chivalrous
encounters with other knights in mortal quarrel, or for
the honours of the tourney ; their incredible feats of
strength and valour in the rescue of captive maidens,
wandering princesses, and distressed damsels, from all sorts

of unheard-of perils, and in the redress of all manner of
grievances, by whomsoever suffered. In his more i"omantic
flights he described exploits yet more perilous than these,
— conflicts with giants and ogres, — the storming and

demolishhig of enchanted castles, defended by scaly griffins,
and fire-breathing dragons, backed by the potent spells and
incantations of some hostile magician. To such narratives
Johnny would willingly listen by the hour. Any trilling
anachronisms or inconsistencies, which sometimes occurred,
never troubled him in the least. If some of Max's knights,

306 WINTER EVENINGS AT HOME.

equipped witli sword and shield, and sheathed in mail,
were also expert at fire-arms, and handled a rifle or a
revolver, like a Kentuckian, Johnny respected and admired
them all the more on account of these varied accomplish-
ments, and never troubled the narrator with any vexatious
demand for explanations.

At first Max had been greatly piqued at the slight
interest which Johnny seemed to feel in the fate of his
heroes. The fact was, that he had become so familiar with

that department of literature, and was so accustomed to
see the hero come safely out of the most horrible and un-
heard-of dangers, that he regarded it as quite a matter of
course, and there was now no such thing as alarming him
for his safety. It was to no purpose that Max surrounded
his heroes with fierce and numerous foes ; Johnny took
it quite coolly, expecting him to cut his way out as a hero
should. It was in vain to cover him with wounds — a
hei'o's wounds are never mortal. Cast him away upon an
iron-bound coast in the midst of a hurricane — Johnny

knew that one would escape: drown a hero! who ever
heard of such a thing? Max at length resented this
indiiFerence, by suddenly becoming quite tragical, and
actually despatching two or three heroes with very little
ceremony. The first of these unfortunate gentlemen
perished, if I remember correctly, by " a tremendous back-
stroke of a two-handed, double-edged sword, that severed
his head from his body." At this sentence, which seemed
pretty decisive, Johnny was somewhat staggered, but im-
mediately recovering himself, he bade. Max "go on," ex-
pecting, I verily believe, that it would turn out that the
head was not in fact quite cut ofi*, or that if it was, it would,
like that of the physician Dubin, in the Arabian Nights,

WINTER EVKXIXGS AT HOME. 30V

be again set upon the slioulderSj and life restored by the
healing virtue of some potent medicament. Great ■wa9
his astonishment and consternationj on being made at last
to comprehendj that the hero was actually dead; which
fact he did not, however, appear fully to realize, until
Max, to put the matter beyond doubt, buried him with
great funereal pomp and ceremony, and erected over his
remains a splendid monument, with an inscription recording
his exploits and his valour. This method of proceeding,
Max judiciously followed up, by giving a tragical ter-
mination to his romances, often enough to keep Johnny
reminded that his heroes at any rate were mortal.

In addition to these resources for our evenings, we have
the semi-weekly meetings of " The South Sea Lyceum,'*
which was organized soon after the commencement of the
rainy season, and of which Arthur is the president, having

been twice unanimously elected to that dignified and
responsible office. Recitations or declamations, essays,
and debates upon questions previously selected, constitute
the regular exercises at these meetings. Browne possesses
quite a talent for dramatic recitation, and he has Shak-
speare almost by heart, which circumstances, early on the
voyage out, earned for him the nickname of " Shaks." At
nearly every session of the " Lyceum," he is either among
the regular appointees for a recitation, or is called out by
acclamation for a voluntary one. Max shines chiefly in
debate, in which he is always ready to take either side, of
any question. Indeed he sometimes speaks on both sides
of the same question, and displays his ingenuity by refuting

his own arguments.

These meetings have thus far been exceedingly pleasant,
Olid on many a night when the driving rain was beating

30fi WINTER EVENINGS AT HOME.

upon roof and wmdow, and the wind was howling dis-
mally around our solitary cabin, all has seemed bright
and cheerful within, as Max and Morton carried on a spi-
rited debate, or Browne declaimed "VVolsey's soliloquy, or
*' To be, or not to be, that is the question."

The minutes of one meeting of the Lyceum may answer
as a sample of their entertainments : —

Recitation (by Johnny), Lines supposed to have been
written by Alexander Selkirk, " I am monarch of all I
survey," &c.

Becitation (by Browne), Clarence's Dream.

Essay (by the President), on the traditions of a Deluge,
to be found among the Polynesian tribes.

Essay (by myself), The theory of the fonnation and
structure of Coral Islands,

Debate, Question: Is childhood the happiest period of
human life ]

Affirmative maintained by Max, negative by Morton.

Summing up of the arguments by the President, and
decision by him in the negative.

Eeading of the Polynesian Intelligencer, by the Editor.
(Max).

Recitation (by Eiulo), a Tewan War-song, in the original.

After the first protracted rain was over, there were
frequent intervals of fine weather, which lasted sometimes
several days. But we found on going forth, that a change
had taker; p\ace in the condition of things, which rendered
any long excursion, even during these intervals, entirely
out of the question.

Considerable streams poured down from the higher

■WINTER EVENINGS AT lIOMK. 309

gl otind toward the interiorj and traverrfed the island at
short distanceSj presenting formidable barriers to all tra-
velling. The ground was everywhere so miry that it was
difficult to avoid sinking above the ankles at every step.

As the season advanced it became still worse, and at
length we confined ourselves almost enmreiy to the house.
Lately, however, there has been a very perceptible im-
provement; the rains have become lighter, and less fre-
quentj and the season is evidently drawing towards its close.
We are already discussing our plans for the summer, and
have resolved upon a thorough exploration of the island*
as soon as the fine weather has been long enough estat>-
liflhed to remove the effects of the heavv rains.

'iiO THE SEPARATION.

C H A r T E E X X V I 1 T.

THE SEPAKATIOX.

OUB SECLUSION lyVADED — SmiXfJ IN THE TIUH'ICS-— TIJ R KXODltSlON

AND ITS CON.SKQUENCi:S.

"Reviving Nature bounds as from lier birth:
The sun is in the heavens, and life on earth;
Flowers in the valley, splendour in tlie beam,
Health in the breeze, and freshness in the stream."

I RESUME my narrative, under circumstances widely
different from those in wliicli the preceding chapter was
written. The events of the last few days have completely
changed the aspect of affairs in our little world. The
peace, the seclusion, the security, with which in our minds
it had hitherto been invested, exist no longer. Our quiet
life, so free from vicissitudes and alarms, as to seem almost
monotonous, has been rudely broken into, and in a few
days we are to take a step which cannot fail to be attended
with consequences momentous to us, but whether fraught
with good or evil, it is impossible to foresee. This, how-
ever, is anticipating the regular course of events.

It is scarcely credible, how short a time after the cessa-
tion of the rainS; sufficed to remove every trace of their

THE SEPARATION. 311

effects. Three or four days of sunshine seemed to restore
things to nearly the condition iu which we found them on
2rst reaching the island.

It is true the vegetation now had a fresher look than
before, and slender brooks still murmured through ravines
usually dry ; the lake, too, formerly so limpid, was some-
what discoloured by the turbid streams running into it
from the surrounding heights ; but the standing pools of
water had evaporated, and the ground had in most places,
become once more firm and dry.

As soon as the weather was fairly established, we made
several excursions in various directions, though not to any
considerable distance. On visiting Castle-hill, we found
nothing left of our house there, except the foundation ; the
entire framework, having been swept away by the wind.
A large candle-nut tree, just before the door, had been

struck by lightning, and the blasted and blackened trunk,
sadly marred the beauty of the spot.

Arthur had selected a favourable location on the margin
of the lake near the fish-pond, for a taro and patara patch ;
and we spent several days in ransacking the neighbouring
woods for roots with which to stock it. Yams, we had not
yet succeeded in finding, though they are indigenous in
most of the Polynesian islands, and we had made diligent
search for them in the localities where they are usually
found.

One fine morning, soon after the cessation of the rains,
Arthur proposed an expedition into the interior, follow-
ing the course of the stream upward towards its source.
In addition to the general object of exploration, he had in
view the discovery of the much-coveted vegeiable last
mentioned, there being one largo \'ariety of it^ which is

3i2 THE SfiPAIlATiOlJ.

found growing wild among tlie mountains, or upon tlife
sides of the liills of the interior. All received the suggeg-
tion with cordial approval, being particularly pleased with
the proposed route, along the banks of the brook. Johnny,
exulting in his recovered liberty, after the long imprison-
ment of the winter, and anticipating all sorts of wonderful
discoveries in the vegetable, floral, and ornithological
departments, at once enlisted Eiulo and himself as members
of the party of exploration.

As we were about to enter a region with the resources
of which, in the way of provisions, we knew nothing, we
considered it a measure of wise precaution to fortify our-
selves against the fatigues of the journey, by a hearty
breakfast of broiled fish and roasted taro. This important
duty having been conscientiously attended to, our remain-
ing preparations occupied but little time, and we set out
at an early hour.

Johnny, equipped with his longest bow, and an abundant
stock of arrows, in readiness for the appearance of anything
in the shape of a jackal or a tiger-cat, marched valiantly in
advance, wbile Eiulo, in the capacity of armour-bearer, or
trusty esquire, followed, carrying his cutlass. Next, care-
fully surveying the ground we passed over, came Arthur,
with a bag upon his arm, and a basket of cocoa-nut leaflets
in his hand, ready for the reception of the yams, when
found, and of all sorts of roots, plants, and botanical speci-
mens, that might be discovered in the meantime.

Max was armed to the teeth, as though in preparation
for a pitched battle. By his side, in a belt of hibiscus-
bark, was stuck his cutlass : in one hand he carried a
" spear," and in the other, one of his " Eeejee war-clubs."
Morton and mvaelf were nrovided with a catlass apiece ;

rtHE SE^ARATIOlf. 3l3

and Browne, without having encumbered himself even to
that extent, strolled leisurely along with his hands in his
pockets, whistling " blue-honnets over the border."

It was now the spring of the tropical year : the deciduous
trees were renewing their verdure, and were covered with
young shoots, and bursting leaf-buds. Even the evergreens
— though they change but little throughout the year, and
the old leaves and the new, the blossoms and the I'ipe fruit,
may be seen upon the same tree at almost every season —
looked brighter and fresher than before the rains. Tlie
earth was carpeted with beautiful grasses, mingled with
tufts of moss, and bunches of fern. Blue and white flowers
were scattered about, almost as profusely as the "pinkster-
blossoms," in April, in the woods at home ; and in sheltered

places, the modest cape-jasmine was beginning to unfold
its fragrant leaves. A delightful freshness filled the air,
and there was as yet, at this early hour, nothing to remind
us that we were beneath the fervent skies of the burning
zone.

Bejoicing and exhilarated at finding himself in the woods

once more, Johnny ran furiously hither and thither, closely
attended by Eiulo, gathering wild flowers, ferns and mosses;
chasing bugs, beetles, and butterflies ; and letting fly his
arrows at every unfortunate member of the feathered
community that came within the range of his archery. In
every thicket, and ahnost at every step, he came upon
something to call forth the most boisterous exclamations
of surprise or delight. He was manifestly in the state of
mind declared by the poet to be so eminently happy and
desirable —

" To all exhilarating influences,

Of earth and heaven alive I"

314 THE SEPARATION.

Sccarcely a moment passed, that he did not come running
all aglow and out of breath to Arthur, with eager questions
about something or other which he had just seen, and then
dash off again into the forest, without waiting for a reply,
where fresh explosions of admiration or wonder, would
soon announce new, and if possible, still more astounding
discoveries.

The shores of tlic stream were picturesque and varied.
For the fix'st half-mile from our starting-point, it wound
between smooth grassy banks, adorned with scattered
clumps of trees. It then entered a dense wood, where its
channel was a rugged ravine, inclosed between steep rocks
of black basalt. Here, the scraggy, ill-conditioned ti'ees
were crowded together, and overgrown with gigantic
creepers. The branches, reaching across from the opposite
shores, were interlaced and matted into thick masses, almost
excluding tlie light of day. Max here displayed his agility,

by laying hold of a long bough whicli extended from bank
to bank, and walking "hand over hand" across the stream
that flowed darkly and sluggishly some twelve or fifteen
feet below.

We were an hour at the least, in toiling through this
tangled wood, though it did not extend moi'e than lialf a
mile. After leaving it beliind us, frequent rapids showed
that we wera steadily ascending as we proceeded. Birds,
such as we had not before seen on the island, and which
reminded me of some of my old acquaintances of the New
p]ngland woods, perched upon the trees, or flew familiarly
around us. One or two, of the woodpecker tribe, looked
wondei'fully natural and home-like, as they sat industriously
drumming upon hollow logs. Another, a small, brown bird,
with modest plumage, surprised and delighted me, by a

THE SEPARATION-. 315

clear, full whistle, that sounded not unlike that of our own
robin redbreast. We also saw numbers of a, species of
pigeon with black bills, slate-colovired bodies, and a ruff ot
white feathers about the neck. One of these Johnny
brought down with his bow, besides wounding very seri-
ously (as he alleged) a considerable number of others. The
woodpeckers and whistlers enjoyed a temporary immunity
from his formidable shafts, reluctantly granted them at
my intercession in their behalf, on the score of old associa-
tions.

About an hour before noon we reached a spot where the
stream was divided by a rocky islet, around which it spread

out like a small lake. A grove, of a veiy peculiar appear-
ance, and seeming to consist of a single tree, slieltered and
overspread the entire spot.

Here we concluded to halt, beginning by this time to
feel quite tired, and inclined to rest. The water was shallow
at this point, and Max waduig over to the little island,
presently called upon ns to follow him if we wished to
behold " a veritable banian tree." Whether a banian or

not (Arthur pronounced it a species of barren fig), it was

certainly a wonderful specimen of vegetation. The main

trunk, springing up in the centre of the islet, was nearly

three feet in diameter. At the height of some fifteen feet

from the ground, large branches extended horizontally in

every direction. From these branches, at regular intervals,

pendulous, vine-like shoots sprouted and grew downwards

Until they reached the ground, where they took root, and

padually increasing in size formed new trunks or pillars,

to support a further extension of the branches. This pro-

tess of growth had gone on until the tree had overrun the

tiitire island, resembling a flat roof of green branches.

316 tHfi &j,rAttATl03T.

resting upon rows of columns. Some of the perpendicular
shoots had not yet reached the ground, others had just
taken root, and were slender and flexible, while many of
the older ones rivalled the parent stem in size, and could
not easily be distinguished from it.

While we rested here, a pair of the little brown song-
sters alighted among the branches of the " banian," and
entertained us with a vocal performance, in which they
took up the strain alternately, responding to each other,
and occasionally uniting in a chorus.

Max now declared himself savagely hungry, and com-
menced exploring the neighbourhood in search of something
eatable. But no fruit-bearing trees were to be found, and
he returned from his foraging expedition protesting that
the country was a perfect desert, and declaring that he for
one would not proceed a step farther until he took up the
line of march for home. We were all of the opinion that
we had done enough for one day, and it was agreed that

after resting ourselves a short time we should commence
our return.

Meantime, Arthur caught sight of some trees upon a

ridge of land a short distance further up the stream, whose

foliage resembled, as he thought, that of the " auti," or cloth

plant. Saying that he would return in a few moments, he

walked along the west bank of the brook in the direction

of the ridge, followed by Johnny and Eiulo, who seemed as

animated and unwearied as ever. Presently they turned

a bend in the stream, and we lost sight of them. For lack

of more interesting occupation, I began to count the stems

of the grove-tree. There were seventeen, of large size, and

a great number of smaller ones. Max discovered a deep

pool at the lower end of the islet, in which were a number

THE SEPARATION. 317

of fishj marked like yellow perch: and aa he had a fishing-
liue of Eiulo's manufacturej in his pocket, he amused him-
self by angling, using wood-beetles for bait. Morton and
Browne hunted up four flat stones, and commenced pitching
quoits.

After half an hour passed in these various ways, we
began to wonder at Arthur's long delay, and to grow im-
patient for his return. I had counted every stem of the
banian-fig, great and small. Max had become quite dis-
gusted with angling for fish, which were too wary, or too
well fed, to favour him with even a nibble. Browne, after
being beaten for five successive games, had very naturally
lost his interest in the sport, and tossed his quoits into the
brook.

Another half-hour passed, and still the absentees failed
to make their appearance. Max now professed to be

suffering from the pangs of hunger, and longed for the
sight even of the much-abused cocoa-nut tree. At last,
our patience being utterly exhausted, we resolved to go in
search of Arthur and his suite, whose protracted absence
greatly surprised us.

On reaching the point, or bend, behind which they had
disappeared, we hallooed loudly, but there was no answer.
As we proceeded, the ground became very rough and
broken, and the bed of the brook was full of loose rocks.
A little further on, the noise of a waterfall was heard, and
after one or two more turns, we reached a spot where the
stream leaped down a precipice some twenty feet. Our fur-
ther progress in the direction we were pursuing was barred
by a wall of rock ; an active and fearless climber might, it
IS true, have scaled it by the aid of the stunted shru"'^is and
jutting crags upon its face, hni we knew that Arthur

,318 TIIK SEiW RATION".

accompanied by Eiulo and Johnny, could not; have passed
on by any suclv rente.

Proceeding to the left, along the foot of the precipice,
and pausing at short intervals to repeat our halloos, we at
last reached a wide fissure in the rock, bv scramblincr

through "which we gained the higher level. This was in
all j>robability a part of the ridge which Arthur had seen
from the islet. "We now returned along the brow of the
precipice until we came to the waterfall, where we shouted
.'igain, but still without getting any answer. To piish the
search further in this direction seemed useless, for it was
morally certain that Arthur would not have continued
beyond this point up the stream ; the uuderstanding with
which he had left us, forbade any such supposition.

"We began now to feel alarmed, and to fear that some
a'*cident had befallen them, though of what nature we were
at a loss to conjecture. Morton suggested the possibility
Miat they had taken the opposite bank of the brook, and
/liat while we were looking for them, they might have
returned to the islet. This seemed not imjjrobablej and

strivinfj hard to convince ourselves that it must be so. we
regained the lower level by the same pass through which
we had ascended, and hastened along the base of the
height, and down the shore of the stream till we reached
the islet again. But our companions were not there.
Still, they might have returned during our absence, and
supposing that we had started homeward, proceeded after
us. "We were greatly perplexed what course to pursue.
If we delayed our return much longer, we should not be
able to reach the cabin before night set in: the wilderness
around seemed to coutain nothing that could serve as food,
and we should have to fast as long as we remained in it.

THE SV,-rAllATION. Sl'A

Tlien, ioOj our waiting longer could be of no benefit to the
otliei's, even if they had not yet returned to the islet.
Upon finding us gone, they would know at once that wa
liad set out for home, and tliere was no possibility of their
mistaking their way thither.

"VVe concluded, accordingly, to return without furtlier
delay. Browne cut a stout stick, and planted it in the
aand at the margin of the brook, arranging a number of
large pebbles at its foot, in the form of a hand, with tho
index finger pointing homeward. "We then set out at a
brisk pace, with some hope, but little actual expectation,
of overtaking our companions on the way.

We soon reached the thick wood with its matted under-
growth, and the old and knotted vines twinhig like enormous
reptiles around the trunks of the trees; and so slow was
our progress th.rough it, that when we emerged into the
open country it was neaidy sunset. Tlie remaining dis-
tance was more rapidly accomplished. As we drew nigh
to the cabin, I began to look anxiously for the appearance
of the missing ones. Each moment I expected to see Johnny
rushing towards us with a laughing boast of having " beaten
us home." But no one came forth to meet us, and I thought
that the valley had never before looked so lonely.

it was not, however, entirely deserted. The parrot was
perched in solitary state upon the eaves of the cabin, and as

we opened the gate, he flapped his wings, and croaked forth
in dismal tones a sentence which Johnny, little dreaming
of its present application, had been at much pains to teach
him : — " Poor Paul's lonesome ! " he criedj " they're all
gone — all gone ! "

320 THE SEARCH.

CHAPTER XXIX.

THE SEARCH.

HOME SWEET HOME — ^MAX 0:7 MOONLIGHT — FOLLOWING A TJIAII*—

THE CONCEALETi CANOE.

''"Where'er thou wanderest, canst thou hope to go

AVhere skies are brighter, or the earth more fair ?
Dost thou not love these aye-blue streams that flow.

These spicy forests, and this g-olden air ?
O yes ! I love these woods, these streams so clear,

Yet from this fairy region I would roam,
Again to see my native hills— thrice dear !

And seek that country, of all countries,— home."

Mas hastened to collect fuel, and kindle a fire, in order
to prepare some food. Assuming, as usual, the entire
superintendence and controul of the culinary department,
and every thing connected therewith, he set Browne to
work washing and scraping tara-roots, despatched me after
a fresh supply of fuel, and sent Morton with the hand-net
down to the fish-pond to take out a couple of £}:>h. for a
broil. But while thus freely assigning tasks to the rest of
us, with the composed air of one accustomed to the exercise
of unquestioned authority, he by no means shrunk from
his own fair share of the work ; and having got the fire
burning cleverly by the time that Morton returned with
the fish, he rolled up his sleeves, and with an air of heroic
fortitude, commenced the necessary, hut somewhat un-
pleasant process of cleaning them.

Night had now set in, but the sky beinf; x^erfectly chx^.

fefi seabcH. ^2l

ftiid ttie mooti at her full» it was scarcely darker than at
early twilight.

Max seemed to prolong his culinary operations to the
■utmost, either from pure love of the employment, or "wnth
the still lingering hope, that our companions might yet
arrive in time to partake of our supper.

At last, however, it became apparent that the cookery
could not, -srithout serious detriment, be longer protracted.
The bursting skin of the taro revealed the rich mealy
interior, and eloquently proclaimed its readiness to be
eaten. The fish were done to a turn, and filled the cabin

m

with a savoury odour, doubly grateful to our nosti-ila after
a twelve hours' fast. Max declared with a sigh, that
another moment xtpon the gridiron would ruin them,
and ho was reluctantly ccmpelled to serve up the repast

without further delay, when, notwithstanding our grow-
ing anxiety on accoimt of Arthur's absence, we made a
hearty meal. After feeding Monsieur Paul, and setting by
some food in readiness for our companions when they
should arrive, as we still hoped they would do in the
course of the evening, we went out to a spot above tho
cascade, where Moi*ton and Browne had arranged some
rude fragments of basalt, so as to form a semicircle of
seats, which, if less comfortable than well-cushioned
arm-chairs would have been, might at any rate be con-
sidered in decidedly better *^ rural taste," and in more
harmonious keeping with the character of the surrounding
scene,

From this point we could trace the windings of the
brook for some distance in one direction, while be?ow us,
in the opposite one, spread the moonlit lake, refle<?ting in
its mirror-like surface the dark masses of foliage that
fringed its shores. It was one of those tranquil, dreaniY

X

322 THE SEARCH.

iiightSj I'jiow^ only in tropical countries. A subtle fra-
grance 01 fresL "buds and blossoms filled the air. The
light streamed in % silvery flood upon the tufted tops ot
the groves; while in the solemn shade beneath^ the serried
trunks reared themselves in long ranks, like the grey
columns of some Gothic ruin.

As we sat listening to the murmur of the waterfall, the
rustling of the trees, and the distant and muffled booming
of the surfj I fell into a dreamy reverie, which was at
length dissipated by Browne's voice —

"Can any thing be more beautiful than this scene at
this moment 1 " exclaimed he, "and yet I do not know
"when I have experienced such a weai'iness of it all — such
an intense longing for home, as I feel to-night."

" I shall begin to believe in mesmeric sympathy," said
Morton, "I was myself just thinking of borne. Home,
Bweet home I" and he heaved a long-drawn sigh.

Fesi tlie charm and illusion of our island-life had loner
faded. "We were tired of tropical luxuriance, and eternal
summer. Glowing skies, and landscapes like a picture,
had almost ceased to gratify even the eye. I longed for a
glimpse of a rugged Kew England hill once more. A
gnarled New England oak, though stripped by wintry
"winds of every leaf, would be a sight more grateful to me,
than all those endless groves of waving palms.

" I cannot believe," resumed Browne, " that we are
destined to waste our days in this lonely spot, elysium as
it is, of external beauty. "We have faculties and desires,
which can find no scope here, and which are perishing for
lack of exercise. Still it is possible. But it is a dreary,
dreary thoug]\t! I can now feel the pathos of the words
of the ancient mariner, on coming in sight of his native
land'

THE SEARCH. S23

••*0h dream of joy! is this indeed
The light-honse top I see?
Is this the hill ? is this the kirk ? — ■
Is this mine own coiuitree?

We drifted o'er the harbour bar

And I with sobs did pray ■

O let me be awake, mv God !
Or let me sleep ahvay!'"

Browne recited the lines with a power and feeling,
that affected even the mattei--of-fact Morton ; Max hastened
to show that he was above being so easily moved.

"All this comes," cried he, "of lying here under the
trees in the moonlight. Moonlight certainly has a ten-
dency to make people melancholy and sentimental ; it also
makes them do foolish thin 0^3. The most absurd and

unreasonable notions I ever entertained, came into my
head by moonlightj and wouldn't go away. Only twenty-
five minutes ago, we were quite a i-ational, practical set.
of persons, eating our supper (a well-cooked supper, too,
though I say it myself,) with a keen appetite, like Chris-
tians. And now, we have fallen to sighing and quoting

poetry, and Browne waxes quite pathetic at the touching
thought of getting a glimpse once more, of the smoky
chimneys of Glasgow ! Pinally, I have nearly caught the

infection myself, and unless I escape out of the moonlight
presently, I dare say I also shall become quite lack-a-
daisical, and commence a poetical apostrophe to my native
village of Ilardscrabble— or rather to plump little Susan
Somers, ray first love, at the * madam's' school, who
affected my weak mind and susceptible heart to that ex-
tent, that in her bewildering presence my tongue clave to
the roof of my moutli, while I grew red in the face like a
perplexed turkey gobbler. But what can have become

324 illE SEARCH.

of Arthur and the rest? Unless somethmg had happened
to them, they must have returned before now."

A little before midnight we retired to the cabin to sleep,
having first agreed, that in the morning three of us should
proceed uj^ the stream again, to make a thorough search
for our companions, tho fourth remaining behind until
near noon, when, if the absentees had not yet returned, he
fihould set out to join the others at the islet below the
falls, which we fixed upon as the rendezvous.

In the morning, lots were drawn to determine which of
lis should remain at the cabin, and that duty fell to Mor-
ton. The rest of us, having armed ourselves, and prepared
a supply of taro and bi'ead-fruit, sufficient, as we supposed,
for several days, set out, soon after sunrise. Our j>rogress
was much more rapid than it had been when we first went
over the ground, as we now had a definite object in view,
and pressed steadily forward, without allowing any thing
to interrupt or delay us. In an hour and a half after

starting, we came in sight of the islet. Opposite it was
the stake which Browne had planted in the sand, just as
we had left it. "We pushed on up the stream to the cas-
cade, and crossing to the right bank, we began to skirt the
base of the rocky wall on that side, looking carefaUy
around for some traces of our companions.

We had proceeded in this way, about one hundred yards
from the brook, when I picked up one of Johnny's arrows
in a tuft of fern. This was conclusive evidence that we
were upon the right track, A little farther on, was a
piece of marshy ground, and here we made a startling dis-
covery. In the soft soil, several foot-prints could be plainly
distinguished. Some were coarse, shapeless impressions,
precisely such as would be made by the rude moccasins
worn by Artl^ur and Johnny. Others were the prints of

THE SEARCH 325

naked feet, and some of these were of far too large a size
to be made by cither of the three. This discovery affected
us for the moment Kke an electric shock, and we stood
looking at one another without speaking, and scarcely
breathing, while the very beating of our hearts might be
heard.

r

Browne was the first to recover himself, when he com-
menced a close examination of all the tracks. The piece
of ground upon which they could be traced, extended some
thirty yards, and after a careful scrutiny of the whole of
it, we became convinced that at least four persons, besides

our three companions, had recently passed over it. All
the tracks were not in the same direction, and from find-
ing those of precisely the same size lying in opposite
directions, we inferred that some of these persons, at least,
had passed and repassed the spot.

The most distressing surmises as to the cause of the dis-
appearance of our companions, now began to suggest
themselves. Vie were so astounded by this decisive evi-
dence of the presence of strangers upon the island, that
we scarcely knew what to do next, but at last concluded
to return to the islet and await ^Morton's arrival, being
anxious to avoid the risk of any farther division of our
numbers, "We accordingly retraced our way thither;
supposing that Morton would have set out before we could
reach the cabin, and that we might pass each other on
the way without knowing it, if we should proceed down
the stream to meet him, we remained quietly at the islet,
keeping a vigilant and somewhat nervous look-out or. every

side.

He arrived about noon, having started rather sooner
than had been agreed upon. On being informed of the
tracks which had been discovered, he said that we ou£;ht

326 THE SEARCH.

at once to trace them as far as we were able. " We must
not rest," said lie, '' until we know something more of this,
even if we have to traverse every inch of ground on the
island.'*

Browne was inclined to infer from the foot-prints, that
the interior, and tlie eastern part of the island, of which
we as yet knew nothing, were inhabited, and that our com-
panions had fallen into the hands of the natives.

"Let us, in the first place find, if possible, where they
are. We can then judge what is to be done, if indeed we
can do any thing," said Morton, " and now for the place
where the tracks you speak of are to be seen."

Grasping our weapons, which were no longer to be re-
garded as a useless incumbrance, we once more proceeded
up the brook, and soon reached the piece of low ground
before mentioned. We again narrowly inspected the
tracks : Morton measured them with a twig, and concluded,

as we had previously done, that these were the foot-prints
of at least seven j^ersons — there being that number of
clearly different sizes. Three of these were without doubt
the tracks of Arthur, Johnny, and Eiulo, The impressions
made by the moccasins of the two former led only in one
direction {from the stream,) while those of the naked feet
(or of some of them) were in two opposite directions. Fol-
lowing these tracks eastward along the rocky ridge, we
soon came to firm dry ground, where footsteps could no
longer be traced. But by a minute scrutiny, we were still
able to detect slight but decisive indications of the course
of the party wdiose trail we were endeavouring to fol-
low.

In one place, a bunch of spreading ferns had been trodden
down, and the long graceful fronds bruised and broken:
in anothci", a cluster of crushed wild flowers betrayed a

THE SEARCH,

327

reccij., tbuc«tep. A little further on, we came to a wide,
meadow-like expanse, where the grass and weeds grew
rank and tall, and through, this the path of a considerablo
party could be readily traced. Gradually becoming accus-
tomed to this species of minute investigation, as we con-
tmued carefully to practise it^ we soon grew so expert and
skilfulj that things very slight in themselves^ and which
would ordinarily have altogether escaped notice, sufficed
to guide and direct us.

The path trodden through the meadow, led to the foot
of an ascent, up which we followed the trail slowly and
with difficulty, the soil being hard, and the vegetation
scanty. On gaining the top, we found that we had reached
tlie eastern, or south-eastern extremity of the island, and
the sea spread before us, almost at our feet. The trail led
directly towards the edge of a steep bank, just above the
shore, near which we lost it altogether. Morton leaped
down the bank some ten or twelve feet, while the rest oi

us were looking round for easier and more gradual means
of descent. Finding a stunted tree springing from, the
lower ground, close against the bluff, I leaped among its
spreading branches, and climbed down its trunk to tho
shore, wliere I found Morton searching for some traces of.
the pai-ty whicli we had tracked almost to the edge of the
]i eight.

In a moment we were joined by Max and Browne, who
had clambered down the face of the bank by the assistance
of the shrubs and bushes growing upon it.

" It is useless," said Browne, '' to look here for the traL
we have lost. If they descended to tlie shore, it must have
been in some place where Johnny and Eiulo could have

g^ot down."

"The track seemed to lead dJi-ocUy to the sea," said

Mortoiij "and you must consider that a 2:>arty of savages
would not find much of an obstacle in such a bank as this,
and would scarcely be as careful as ourselves of the safety
of Johnny and Eiulo. In fact, I suppose they would hand
or drop them down such a height, without scruple or cere-
mony. What I now begin to fear is, that our unfortunate
companions have fallen into the hands of a jmrty of savages,
landing here for some transient purpose, and have been
carried off by them."

At this moment an exclamation from Max, who had
walked a little way along the beach, announced some dis-
covery, and turning round we saw him beckoning to us.

"What is that?" said he, when we had joined him,
stooping down, and pointing towards a clump of stunted
trees, growing in an angle or indentation, where the bluff
fell back for a short distance from the shore, " is it not a

canoe drawn up under the trees?"

It was not easy to distinguish the object clearly, on
account of the thickness of the foliage. After waiting a

moment, and looking carefully about, being satisfied that

there was no one in the vicinity, we approached the spot.
Max was not mistaken ; a large canoe, capable of holding
fifteen or twenty persons, Avas lying among the bushes^
where it had evidently been placed for concealment. In
the bottom were a number of carved paddles, a mast wound
about with a mat-sail, several calabashes containing water,
and some cocoa-nuts.

Having hastily noted these particulars, we withdrew
to a short distance, behind a rock detached from the bank,
and surrounded by a dense growth of tangled shrubbery,
to hold a consultation.

From the position in which we found the canoe, with

no dwelling near that we could see, and from the circum-

THE SEARCH. 329

stance oi its containing water and provisions, we inferred
that it did not belong to persons inhabiting the island, or
this portion of it at any rate. There was at least a pro-
bability of its belonging to the party which we had tracked
so nearly to the spot, and that they were now soir ewhere
in the neighbourhood.

" This canoe must be destroyed," said Morton, after a
moment of silence, "and we had better set about it at

once."

This proposition seemed a bold and a somewhat strange
one. Browne demanded tlie object of such a proceeding.

"Unless we do this," answered Morton, "our com-
panions, if they are still alive, and in the power of the

savages, may be carried away from the island before our
eyes, and separated from us for ever. As long as they

are here, within our reach, there is hope of our being able
to rescue them ; if not by force, then by some device or
stratagem. At the worst, we only run some unnecessary
risk, by what I propose. Could we ever forgive ourselves
if Arthur should be carried ofi" through our having omitted
a precaution calculated to prevent it ? "

Morton's decision and earnestness prevailed ; while he
undertook tlie work of destroying the canoe, Max, Browne,
and I, stationed ourselves at different points aroimd the
spot, so as to give timely notice of the approach of any
person. He devoted himself to his task witli such vigoui*,
that in a very few moments he liad completely broken up
the bottom of the canoe, by repeated blows of a stone as
heavy as he could lift in both hands, Not content with
this, he disengaged the outrigger, and threw it, together
with the mast and sail, into the sea.

^0 THE RENCONTHE,

C)J AFTER XXX.

THE RENCONTRE.

Tin; rwo leaders— an unexpected meeting — the ccLTiaii f"

WAR — AND WHAT FOLLOWED.

" Now screw your courage to the sticking point."

" "With many a stiff thwack, many a bang,
Hard crab-tree and old iron rang;
While none who saw them could divine
To which side conquest would incline,"

I HAD climbed to the top of the bank as my look out

station, while the work of demolishiug the cauoe was
going forward, and on perceiving that Morton had accom*
plished his task, I was about to descend again, when
taking a final sweeping glance to the north and east, I
observed several figures moving rapidly along the beach,
at a point somewhat less than a quarter of a mile distant,
of which my position commanded a view, and coming
towards us. In consequence of the indented charf-icter of
the shore, and the height of the bank bordering it for some
distance, they passed out of sight almost instantly.

Without losing a moment, I sprang down to the shore
to communicate what I had seen. Max, who had been
posted upon the beach to keep a look out northward, ran
up at the same time, having also caught sight of the

THE RENCONTRE. 331

persona approaching- us, as they came round a projecting

point.

We now looked hurriedly around for some place of
concealment, and Morton pointed out a cluster of shrubs
aud rank weeds upon the verge of the bluff just abov«
U3, from which, without any risk of being seen ourselv^es,
we could command a view of the shore and those passing
along it. There was but little time for deliberation or
choice, and hastily summoning Browne from his post,
where iie was still on the watch, we scaled the almost
perpendicular face of the height, with an ease and celerity
which would liave been impossible under circumstances
of less excitement.

In the spot which Morton had designated, tall grass
and flaunting weeds fringed the edge of the bluff, and we
threw ourselves down among them, and awaited, with
almost suspended breath, the approach of the persons I
had seen.

We were scarcely settled in our hiding-place, when a

half naked figure, swinging a short club in one hand,

rushed into view. Another, and another followed, until
I had counted seven of them. They were well-made,

athletic men, of a line olive colour, with long straight haii-
falling over their shoulders. The maro, which is a sort of
fringed belt, was their only clothing, aud they carried
spears and clubs of some dark-grained wood.

Among them was one striking figure. It was that of an
old man, of large and powerful frame, and a marked and
resolute countenance, the expression of which reminded
me of an old lion which I had seen in some itinerant mena-
gerie, years ago. His massive head was covered with a
tangled mass of iron-grey hair that streamed like a mane
over his bread shoulders. The club which he carried

33i THE REXCCNTUE.

might have served Hercules himself; it certaiuly wiuld
have severely tasked the strength of an ordinary man to
wield it. I observed that all of them seemed to breathe
quickly as though they had been running^ or exerting
themselves violently in some way; and the old man, wlio
came last, looked backward once or twice, as they came
opposite "US, in a way that caused me to suppose that they
were pursued. The one who had first come in sight, went
towards the spot where the canoe was concealed, and upon
seeing its condition, uttered an exclamation of surprise
that quicklj^ brought the others around him, when they all
commenced gesticulating, and talking in a low key, looking
cautiously about every moment, as though apprehensive
that the perpetratoi's of the mischief might still be lurk-
ing near.

The old man, however, neitlier talked nor gesticulated,
but stooping down, he examined the canoe narrowly, as if
to ascertain the pi'ecise extent of the injury done, and
whether it admitted of any remedy. "When he had com-
pleted his inspection he arose, and shaking his head
sorrowfully, uttered some exjiression, which, accompanied
as it was by a tlircatcning gesture with his ponderous club,
sounded much like an emphatic imprecation. Morton, who
was crouching close beside me, peering cautiously tlirough
the tufts of grass, at what was going on below, gave a nervous
startj as though the consciousness of tlie leading part he
had taken in the mischief so recently wrought, made him
consider himself the special object of the old giant's fury.
One of them having gone back a little way along the
beach, as if to reconnoitre, now returned in haste,, and
made souje announcement, upon hearing which the old
man waved his hand, and the otiicrs immediately started
off upon a full run along the shore towards the south-

^est; he theu fallowed them at a somewhat leas hurried
pace,

" They are certainly pursued, judgiug from their ac-
tious," whispered Morton, " let ua keep quiet, and see what
cornea next."

P>ut a few minutes liad passed, when half a dozen savages,

resembling in their appearance and equipments those we
had just seen, came in sight, running at full speed, but
witli the air of pursuers rather than of fugitives. Strag-
gling bands of two or three each followed at short intervals,
all probably belonging to the same party, but scattered in
the heat of the chase. Altogether, thei'e must liave been
as many as fifteen or twenty of them. A tall, wild-looking
savage, large framed, but gaunt as a greyhound, and with
a kind of fierce energy in all his movements, seemed to be
the leader of the pursuing party. AVhen just below us on
the beachj he turned and gave some order to a portion of
his followers, speaking with great rapidity, and pointing
towards the bluff; after whicli he darted ofi" again along
the shore at a speed that seemed really marvellous. Tiiose
to whom he had spoken, immediately began, as if in obedi-
ence to the order just given, to climb the bank, not a dozen
yards from the spot where we were lying.

The object of this movement undoubtedly was, to an^.ioi^
pate and frustrate any attempt on the part of the fugitives,
to escape, by quitting the shore and making towards the
interior. The party thus detached had probably been
directed to continue the chase, keeping to the higher
ground. If so, they would pass quite near our place of
concealment, and there was some danger of o\lv being
discovered, to avoid which, we crouched close to the
ground, and remained perfectly silent and motionless. The
point where the savages were attempting to ascend was

S34 THE RENCONTRE.

steep and difficult, and several of them, apparently to di^'
encumber themselves for the effort of climbingj threw their
clubs and spears before them to the top. One of these
weapons, a short, heavy club, fell near me, and fearing that
the owner might come to seek it, I hastily cast it to a con-
spicuous place, free from vegetation, a little distance from
the bank, and nearer the spot where they were scaling it.
But the savage had probably noticed where it first fell, for
the next moment some one came running directly towards
the place^ and just as I was expecting to see him stumble
into the midst of us, a deep guttural exclamation announced
that we were discovered. Any further attempt at conceal-
ment was clearly idle, and we sprang up at once ; the man
was within three yards of us ; he seemed quite as much
startled as ourselves at so sudden a rencontre, and after
standing for a minute looking at us, he turned and ran off
to his fellows.

"They will be back directly in a body," said Browne,
" and we must decide quickly what we are to do — whether
to trust ourselves in their power, or to make such resist-
ance as we can, if they undertake to meddle with us."

" I doubt if it would be safe to trust them," said Morton,
*' at any rate I don't like the idea of risking it. There
ai-e but live or six of them; ihc i^est are far enough off by

4

this time."

"I wish Arthur were here," said Browne, anxiously;
"he understands them and their ways, and could tell us
what we ought, to do. I don't know what the probability
is of their injui-ing us if we throw aside our arms and sub-
mit ourselves to them, and therefore I am loth to take tho
responsibility of deciding the matter."

Meantime the ?-avages appeared to be also holding a
consultation, Thej stood at a short distance talking

THE RENC0J5TRE. 335

rapidly, and pointing towards us. At length they began
to approach the spot where we stood, but slowly, and with
some apparent hesitation.

"Well," said Browne, "we must come to a decision
quickly."

" I distrust them entirely," exclaimed Morton, " I am for
acting on the defensive."

" And I also," said Max, " I have no faith in them : but
perhaps they won't stop to interfere with us after all."

"Very well, then," said Browne, "we will fight if we
must. But let us stand strictly on the defensive, and offer
them no provocation."

I could not help rcgardhig this determination as unwise,
but it was the mind of the majority; and the present was
no time for divided or uncertain counsels. I therefore
kept my thoughts to myself, and grasping my cutlass, pre-
pared for what was to follow.

Browne and Max were armed with the " Feejee war-
clubs," of the latter'a manufacture: they were long, heavy
bludgeons, of the wood of the casuarina, rather too ponde-
rous to be wielded with one hand by a person of ordinary

strength. Morton and I were provided with cutlasses,
which we had preferred as being lighter and more con-
venient to carry.

The savages were armed with spears and short clubs,
the former of which they presented towards us as they
advanced.

I confess that my heart began to thump against my
breast with unwonted and unpleasant rapidity and vio-
lence. I dare say it was the same with my companions ;
but externally we were perfectly composed and steady.

"There are just five of them," said Browne, "two
antagonists for me, and one apiece for the rest of you. If

326 TElii RENCONtRE.

any one intei'forcs with my two I slia]] consider it a per*

sonal affront."

" Confound those long spears ! " exclaimed Max, with a
disturbed air, " they have a mighty uncomfortable look,
■with those fish-bone barbs at the end of them."

The still more '*' uncomfortable " thought that those fish-
bone barbs were perhaps poisoned, suggested itself to me,
but I considered it expedient to say nothing on the subject
at the present j uncture.

"Pshaw!" cried Erowue, "the long spears are easily
managed, if you will only remember my fencing-lessons, and
keep your nerves steady. It is the simplest thing in
'.he world to put aside a thrust from such a weapon :
depend upon it, those short clubs will prove much more
dangerous."

The savages, having now had a sufficient opportunity to
note our equipments, and our youthful appeax'ance, quickly
lost all hesitation, and came confidently forward until they
stood facing us, at the distance of but ten or twelve feet.
Then, seeing that we maintained a defensive attitude, they
paused, and one of them, stepping a little before the rest,
spoke to us in a loud and authoritative voice^ at the same
time motioning us to throw aside oxir weapons.

" Can't you muster a few words of their heathen talk.
Archer 1 " said Browne, " perhaps if we could only under-
stand one another, we should find there is no occasion for
us to quarrel. It seems so irrational to run the risk of

having our brains knocked out, if it can be avoided."
I shook my head : the few phrases which I had picked

up from Arthur and Eiulo, could be of no use for the

present purpose, even if they should be understood.

The spokesman, a sinewy, hard-favoured savage, whose

native ugliness was enhanced by two scars that seamed hia

THE RENCONTRK. 337

broad squat face, repeated the words he had before uttered,
in a higher key, and with a still more imperative air,
aecompanying what he said, with gestures, which sufficient l}**
explained what he required.

" If I understand you, my friend," said Browne, appear-
ing to forget in the excitement of the moment that what
he was saying would be utterly unintelligible to the person
he addressed, " If I understand you, your demand is un-
reasonable. Throw away your own weapons first; you
are the most numerous party;" and he imitated the
gestures which the other had made use of.

The savage shook his head impatiently, and keeping his
eyes steadfastly fixed upon Browne, he began to speak in
a quiet tone. But I saw that though looking at Brovnie,
his words were addressed to his companions, who gradually
spread themselves out in front of us and without making
any openly hostile demonstrations, handled their weapons
in what seemed to me a suspicious manner.

" Be on your guard," said I, speaking in my ordinary

tone, and without looking roimd, " 1 am sure they are

meditating sudden mischief,"

Scarcely were the words uttered, when, with the quick-
ness of lightning, the okesman hurled his club at Browne,
narrowly missing his headj then bringing his spear into a
horizontal position, he made a thrust full athici chest with

his whole force.

Browne, however, was on his guard, and knocking aside
the point of the spear, he swung round his long club; and,
before the other could draw back, brought it down with
such effect upon his right shoulder that his arm fell power-
less to his side, and the spear dropped from his grasp.
Browne promptly set his foot u})ou it, aud the owner,
astonished and mortified, rather than intimidated at

338 THE RENCONTRE.

hia repulse, shrunk back without any attempt to re-
gain it.

This attack was so sudden, and so soon foiled — being
but a blow aimed, parried, and returned, in a single breath
— that no one on either side had an opportunity to inter-
fere or join in it. The other savages now uttered a yell,
and were about to rush upon us : but the leader, as he
appeared to be, motioned them back, and they drew oif to
a short distance. If we were for a moment inclined to
hope that we should now be left unmolested, we soon
learned the groundlessness of such an expectation. The
discomfited savage, instead of being discouraged by the

rough treatment he had received, was only rendered more
dangerous and resolute by it ; and he prepared to renew
the attack at once, having taken from one of his com-
panions a club somewhat heavier and longer than hia

own.

" I wish," said Max, drawing a long breath as he eyed
these ominous proceedings, " that we had a few of Colt's
revolvers, to keep these fellows at a respectable distance :
I confess I don't like the notion of coming to such close
quarters with them aa they seem to contemplate."

*^ A genuine Yankee wish I " answered Browne, grasp-
ing his club with both hands, and planting himself firmly,
to receive the expected onset ; " to make it completely in
character you have only to wish, in addition, for a mud
breastwork, or a few cotton bags, between us and our
friends yonder."

"Which I do, with all my heart!" responded Max,
fervently.

" Let Kaiser Maximilien represent the high Dutch ou
this occasion," said Morton, edging himself forward abr^i^st
of Browne, who had stationed himself a trifle in adv^T^jg

THE RENCONTRE. 3;rJ

of the rest of us ; " lie has no claim to apeak foi' the
Vankees except the mere accident of birth. Archer and I
■will uphold the honour of the stars and stripes without
either revolvers or cotton bags."

"Fair play!" cried Max, pushing Browne aside, " 1
won't have you for a breastwork at any rate, however
much I may desire one of turf or cotton bales." And we
arranged ourselves side by side.

" Really," said Morton, with a faint apology for a smile,
" it appears that we have to do with tacticians — they are
going to outflank us." This remark was caused by our
antagonists separating themselves; the leader advancing
directly towards us, while the others approached, two on
the right and two on the left.

" Well," said Browne, " we shall have to form a hollow
square, officers in the centre, as the Highlanders did at

Waterloo, and then I shall claim the privilege of my rank."
But our pleasantry was, as may easily be imagined,
rather forced. Our ad\'ersaries were now evidently bent
upon mischief, and thoroughly in earnest. We were none
of us veterans, and notwithstanding an assumption of cool-
ness, overstrained and unnatural under the circumstances,
our breath came thick and painfully with the intense
excitement of the moment.

At a signal from their scarred leader, the savages rushed
upon us together. I can give no very clear account of the
confused struggle that ensued, as I was not at the time in
a state cf mind favourable to calm and accurate observation.
A few blows and thrusts wei^e exchanged ; at first cauti-
ously, and at as great a distance as our weapons would
reach; then more rapidly and fiercely, until we became alt
mingled together, and soon each of us was too fully occupied
in defending himself to be able to pay much attention to

340 THE RENCONTRE.

any thing else. At the commencement of the attack I was
standing next to Browne, who being evidently singled out
by his former opponent, advanced a step or two to meet
liim. He skilfully parried several downright blows from
tlie heavy club of the latter, who in his turn dodgtd a
Bwin^ins stroke which Browne aimed at his head, and
instantly closed with him. The next moment they went
whirling past me towards the edge of the bank, locked
together in a desperate grapple, which was the last that I
saw of them. I was assailed at the outset by an active and
athletic savage, armed with a short club. He was exceed-
ingly anxious to close, which I, quite naturally, was as
desirous to prevent, knowing that I should stand no chance
in such a struggle, against his superior weight and Ktre.ngtL.
While I was doing my best to keep him off with my cutUis-',

and he was eagerly watching au opportunity to come t^-
closer quarters, Morton, locked in the grasp of a brawny
antagonist, came driving directly between us, where they
fell together, and lay rolling and struggling upon the
ground at our feet. My opponent, abandoning me for a
moment, was in the act of aiming a blow at Morton's head,
when I sprang forward, and cut him across the forehead
with my cutlass. The blood instantly followed the stroke,
and gushing in torrents over his ^ice, seemed to blind him :
he struck three or four random blows in the air, then
reeled and fell heavily to the ground. Throwing a hasty
glance around, I perceived Max among some bushes at a
little distance defending himself with difficulty against a
savage, who attacked him eagerly with one of those long
spears, towards which he entertained such an aversion,
Browne was nowhere to be seen, Morton and his strong
antagonist were still grappling on the ground, but tne
fitter had gained tho advantage, and was now endeavour-

THE RfiNCONtRE. 341

iug, while he held Morton under him, to reach a club lying
near, with which to put an end to the struggle. Another
of the enemy was sitting a few steps off, apparently disabled,
with the blood streaming from a wound in the neck. I
hastened to Morton's assistance, whereupon his opponent,
seeing my approach, sprang up and seized the club which
he had been reaching after. But Morton gained his feet
almost as soon as the other, and instantly grappled with
him again. At this moment I heard Max's voice, in a tone
of eager warning, calling, " Look out, Archer ! " and turninir,
I saw the savage I supposed to be disabled, with uplifted
arm, in the very act of bringing down his club upon my
head. I have a confused recollection of instinctively
putting up my eutlass, in accordance with Browne's in-
structions for meeting the " seventh" stroke in the broad-
sword exercise, I have since become convinced by re-
flection (to say nothing of experience), that the principles
of the broad-sword exercise, however admirable in them-
selves, cannot be applied without some modification when
iron-wood clubs, with huge knobs of several j)onnds'

weight at the ends of them, are substituted for claymores.
However, I had no time then to make the proper distinc-
tions, and as instead of dodging the blow, I endeavoured
to parry it, my guard was beaten down — and that is all
that I can relate of the conflict, from my own knowledge
and personal observafciou.

3^2 RECONNOITRING BY NIGHT.

CHAPTEE XXXI.

IIECONNOITRING BY NIGHT.

TUB SEAHCU RENEWED — THE CAI'TIVES — .VTOLI.O AND THE TEWANfi.

" Trembling;, tliey start and glance behind
At every common forest-sound—
The whispering trees, the moaning wind,
The dead leaves falling to the ground;
As o*i with stealthy steps tliey go.
Each thicket seems to hide tlie foe."

From tlie moment when startled bv Max's waruiuf^ crv,

I turned and saw the uplifted club of the savage suspended
over my head, all is blank iu my memory, until opening
my eyea with a feeling of severe pain, and no distinct con-
soiousness where I was, I found Browne and Max binding
over me, my head being supported upon the knee of the
former.

" Well, how do you feel]" inquired he.

I stared at him a minute or two without answering, not
understanding very clearly what was the matter with me,
though having at the same time a vague impression that
all was not quite right. Gradually I collected my ideas,
and at length, when Browne repeated his £|'aostion tne
third time, I had formed a pretty correct theory as lo me
cause of my present supine attitude, and the unpleasant
sensations which I experienced.

" I fael rather queer about the head and shoulders," I
said, in answer to his inquiry : " I must have got a pretty
severe blow. I suppose?"

BECONNOITRING BT NIGHT. 343

" YeSj" said Max, whose uneasy look ill agreed witli his
words and manner, " see what it is to be blessed with a
tough cranium ; such a whack would have crushed mine
like an egg-shell ; but it has only enlarged your bump of
reverence a little/'

" Nothing serious has happened, then — no one h badly
hurt," said I, trying to look around ; but the attempt gave
my neck so severe a wrench, and caused such extreme pain,
that I desisted.

"No one has received any worse injury than yourself,"
answered Browne — " at least, none of us."

" And the savages — what has become of them V*

" We have nothing to apprehend from them at present, I
think — they have been gone but a short time, and Morton
is in the tree yonder, keeping watch for their return — do
you feel now as if you can stand up and walk T'

"Certainly, I can; with the exception of tlie pain in my
head, and a stiffness about the neck and shoulders, I am
all rightj I believe." And in order to convince Browne,
who seemed somewhat sceptical on the point, notwith-
standing my assurances, I got up and walked about^
carrying my head somewhat rigidly, I dare say, for it gave
me a severe twinge at every movement.

"Well," said he, " since that is the case, I thiiik the wisest
thing we can do is to leave this neighbourhood at once."

While Max went to summon Morton from hia post of
observation, Browne gave me a brief and hurried account
of what had occurred after I had been felled, as related.

He, and the leader of the savages, whom I had last seen
Ktruggling upon the brink of the height, had gone over it
together; the latter, falling underneath, had been severely
bi'uised, wliile Browne liimself received but little injniy.

Leavinric his adversary groiiuiui;, and, as he supposed,

344 HeconnoiTring by nigh¥.

mortally hurt by the fall, lie had climbed agahi to the higher
ground, and reached it at a very critical moment.

Mortou was struggling at disadvantage with the same
formidable antagonist from whom he had before been for p
moment in such imminent danger ; and Max was dodgin<5
about among the bushes, sorely pressed by another of the
enemy with one of those long spears against which he
entertained so violent a prejudice. I had just been dis-
posed of ia the manner above hinted at, by the savage who
had been wounded in the neck by Mortou, at the very
commencement of the affray, and he was now at liberty to
turn his attention either to Max or Morton, each of whom
was already hard bestead.

Browne immediately fell upon my conqueror, almost as

unexpectedly as the latter had attacked me, and by a sudden

blow stretched him senseless upon the ground. He next

relieved Morton, by disabling his adversary. The two,

then, hastened to IMax's succour, but the savage who was

engaged with him, did not deem it prudent to await the
approach of this reinforcement, and made off into the forest.

They then gathered up all the weapons of the enem}^, per-
mitting Morton's recent antagonist to limp off without
molestation. The man whom I had wounded was by this
time sitting up, wiping the blood fi'om his face and eyes ;
the other, also, manifested signs of returning consciousness;
but having been deprived of their clubs and spears, no
danger was apprehended from them. My three companions
liad then carried me to the spot wliere we now were, from
whence they had witnessed the departure of tlie rest of
our foes. Even the man whom Browne had left dying on'
the shore, as he supposed, had managed to crawl off at last.
As soon as Max and Morton returned, we set out at
once, weary as we were, for the islet in the brook, without

REdONlTOrTEmG BY NIGHT. 345.

any very definite notion as to what was to be clone next.
Tlie prudence of removing from onr present neighboui-lioo.l

was obvious, but we were still too mnch discomposed and
excited by what had just taken place, to have been able to
decide upon any further step, even liad not the momentary
appreljension of the return of the savages in greater num-
bers rendered every thing like calm delil^eration entirely

out of the question.

We took the precaution to choose our path over tlie
hardest and dryest ground, in order to afford the savages
the fewest possible facilities for tracing our course. By the
time we reached the islet, we were completely worn out
by the fatigue and excitement of the day ; we must have
walked at least twelve miles since morning.

After partaking sparingly of the food which we had so

fortunately brought with us, accompanied b}'" copious
draughts of water from the brook, we began to feel some-
what refreshed. Still we were greatly disheartened by the
gloomy and distressing circumstances in which we found
ourselves so suddenly involved ; the great uncertainty as
to the fate of our companions, and the danger that threat-
ened oiir own lives from the vindictive |.urault of n
numerous body of savages. All our energy and courago
seemed for the present, at least, to be completely broken.
Browne laid down upon a couch of dry fern beneath the
many-pillared Aoa. He looked pale and iU — ^more so, I
thought, than the mere effects of excitement and over-
exertion could account for.

Morton soon revived the question of what was now to
be done.

"I suppose we must remain here for tlie present, at
least," said Browne, " and defend ourselves, if attacked, as
well as we can."

34G RECONNOITRING BY NIGHT.

Max suggested Palm Islet as a place of greater secai'ity
aiid one where we should run less risk of discovery.

"And meantime," said Morton, "are we to give up all
attempt to find Arthur and the rest?"

" I hardly know what we can do," answered Browne,
with a perplexed and discouraged air; "we have no clue
to guide us in a fresh search. If these savages inhabit
the island, — or if they remain here, — we cannot hope to
escape them long, after what has taken place ; we must
fall into their hands sooner or later, and if they have cap-
tured our companions, I am willing for my part, that it
should be so. I doubt if we acted wisely hi resisting them
at all, — but it is now too late to think of that."

"We continued to talk the matter over for some time,
but without coming to any definite resolution, and at
length Browne dropped asleep, while we were still discus-
sing it.

As it began to grow dark, Max became disturbed and

excited. He was possessed by a vague conviction, for
which he was unable to account, that our lost companions

were in some imminent peril, from which it was in our
power to rescue them. He was anxious to do something,
and yet seemed uncertain what to propose. Morton was
equally desirous of making a further effort to discover our
lost friends; he was also quite clear and explicit in his
notion of what ought to be done. His theory appeared to
be, that they had fallen into the hands of the natives,
whose encampment or place of abode (temporary or other-
wise,) was on the north-eastern side of the island. He
further supposed that some feud or quarrel having arisen
among themselves, the worsted party had fled along the
beach as we had witnessed, pursued by their victonotis
eueniles, — that In the meantime, their captives had been

RECONNOITRING BY NIGHT. 347

left (perhaps unguarded) at the encampment or hinding-
place of the natives. Morton was as minute and detaJUid
in stating this hypothetical case; as if he had either actually
seen or dreamed the whole. He proposed that as soon as
llie moon rose, some of us should set off for the shore, and
proceed along the beach, in the direction from which we
had seen the natives come, by pursuing which coarse, he
was confident we shoiild be able to leax'n something re-
specting our companions. This he wished to undertake
alonCj sayingj that one person could prosecute the searoli
as well as four, and with much less risk of diwioveiy: if
successful in ascertaining any thing definite, he shouhl,
he saidj immediately return and apprise the rest of us.
Max eagerly embraced this suggestion, and wished to de-
cide by lot, which of us should carry it into execution,
insisting that, otherwise, he would either set off" at once by
himself, or accompany Morton.

At length Browne awoke; he said that he had derive \
mucli benefit from his two hours' sleep, and was now reatly
for any necessary exertion.

He also approved of Morton's plan, but objected to his
going alone, and was at first in favour of setting out all
together. At last it was settled that the search should be
undertaken by two of us, the other two awaiting the result
At the islet. Browne then prepared four twigs for Uie
purpose of deciding the matter by lot, it being agreed th:it
the one drawing the longest, should have the choice of
going or remaining, and should also select his companion.
On comparing lots after we had drawn, mine proved to be
longest; and having decided upon going, I felt bound to
name Morton as my associate, since he had been the first
to suggest, and the rdost earnest in urging the adventure.

An hour after dark the moon rose, and soon lighted the

3J3 RECONiTOITJlING BY JTIGIIT.

forest sufficiently to enable us to see our way Lhroiigli \U
We then armed ourselves with a cutlass apiece, aufl taking
leave of Max and Browne, proceeded up ^ue brook to the
fall, -where we crossed it, and following the rocky ridge,
which ran at right angles with it, we endeavoureil to hold
as nearly as possible, the course we had taken iu the morn-
ing. After leaving the streanij a good part of our way
was through the open country, where there was nothing
to prsvent us from seeing or being seen at a considerable
distance in the bright moonlight. But the only alterna-
tives were, either to creep on our liauds and knees, the
whole distance fi'om the edge of the forest to the shore,
and so avail ourselves of such concealment as the rank
grass and weeds afforded, — or to push boldly and rapidly
forward, at the risk of being seen: we preferred the latter,
and soon got over this dangerous ground, running part of
the time, iu the most exposed places. On reaching the
bluff, over the beach, we lay down among the bushes a

few momenta to recover our breath, and reconnoiti-e, be-
fore taking a fresh start. All was perfectly silent around
us, and no living thing could be seen. When sufficiently
rested, we proceeded cautiously along the edge of the
height, where we could command a view both of the beach
below, and of the open country inland. The bluffexteuded
about a quarter of a mile, when it gradually sunk to the
level of the beach, and was succeeded by a low, flat shore,
lined with large tiees. We had gone but a little way
along it after this change, when we came quite unexpect-
edly upon an inlet, or salt-water creek, setting in to tlie
laud, and bordered so thickly with mangrove.-^, that we
narrowly escaped g"ing headlong into it, while endeavour-
ing to foi'ce our way through the bushes to contiuue our
course along* the beach.

RECONNOITRING BY NIGHT. 349

It was some twenty yards wide ; but I could not see
how far inland it ran, on account of the immense trees
that overhung it on every side, springing up in great
numbex's just behind the low border of mangroves.
Holding fast by one of these bushes, I was leaning forward
over the water, looking hard into the gloom, to gain, if
possible, some notion of the extent of the inlet, and the
distance round it, when Morton grasped my arm sud-
denly —

" What is that, under the trees on the opposite shore ?"

whispered he, '*is it not a boat?"

Looking in the direction in which he pointed, I could
distinguish some object on the opposite side of the inlet,
that might from its size and sJiape be a boat of some kind,
as he supposed, and continuing to gaze steadily, I made

out quite plainly, against the dark masses of foliage on
tlie further shore, what appeared to be a white mast. A
profound silence reigned all around ns, and while I was
still peering into the heavy shadow of the trees, I heard a
sound which resembled a deep, and long-drawn sigh, fol-
lowed by an exclamation, as of a person in bodily pain.

"We must get round to the other side," whispered Mor-
ton, " and see what this means."

We backed out of the mangroves witli the utmost cau-
tion, and inch by inch: when we had got to such adi-stance
as to render this extreme circumspection no longer neces-
sary, we commenced a wide circuit around the inlet, which
proved to be only a small cove, or indentation in the sliore,
extending less than a hundred yards inland. In approach-
ing it again on the opposite side, we resumed all our former
stealthiness of movement, feeling that our lives in all
probability depended upon our caution.

When, at last, we had got. as we supposed, quite near

350 RECONNOITRING BY NiailT.

the place where we had seen the boatj we proceeded^ by
creeping on our hands and knees thi-ough the bushes for
short distances, and then rising and looking about, to
ascertain our position.

It was so dark, and the undergrowth was so dense — the
nioonhght scarcely penetrating the thick foliage — that
nothing could be distinguished at the distance even of a
Tew yards, and there was some danger that we might come
suddenly, and before we were aware, upon those whom we
supposed to be already so near us. While thus blindly
groping our way towards the edge of the inlet, I heard a
voice almost beside me, which said —

"Will they never come back? — Are they going to leave
us here to starve?'*

The voice was that of Johnny's beyond the possibility
of mistake. Turning in the direction from which it pro-
ceeded, I saw a little to the right three figures upon the
ground at the foot of a large casuarina. Auother voice,
as familiar, almost immediately answered

"I only fear that they will return too soon: have
patience! in a little wliile I shall have gnawed through
this rope, and then I do not despair of being able to get
my hands free also."

This was enough to show how matters stood.

" Are you alone ? " said I, in a low voice, but loud enough
to be heard by those beneath the casuarina.

Tliere was an exclamation of joyful surjjrise from
Johnny; then Ai*thur answered, " If that is you, Archer,
come and help us, for we are tied hand and foot. You
have nothing to fear; our captors have left us quite
alone."

We now came forward without further hesitation.
They were all bound fast, tlieir hands being tied behind

EECONNOITIIING BY NIGHT, 351

theiUj in addition to whichj each was fastened to the tree
by a rope of sennit. It would be difficult to say which
party seemed most rejoiced at this sudden meeting. As
soon as they were liberated, we embraced one another
with tears of joy.

" Let us leave this place as fast as possible/' said Arthur,
as soon as he became a little composed, "I expect the
return of the natives eveiy moment, — and we have more to
dread frcni them than you can guess. But I find I am so
stiff after lying bound here all day, that I can hardly walk.
Now, Johnny, take my hand, and try to get along. How

is it with you, Eiulo — do you feel able to travel fast ?"

The latter appeared to understand the drift of the ques-
tion, and answered by frisking and jumping about in
exultation at his recovered liberty.

Instead of returning by the way by which we had come,

along the shore, we pushed on in a straight line, in the
supposed direction of the islet, in order to avoid the risk of
meeting the natives. After toiling for an hour through
the woods, we emerged into the open country to the east
of the rocky ridge that traversed the course of the sti*eam.
During this time, we had been too fully occupied in picking
our way with the necessary caution, besides the constant
apprehension of suddenly encountering the natives, to ask
for any explanations. But now we began to feel somewhat
reassured, and as we hastened on towards the islet, Arthur
very briefly informed us, that they had yesterday been
suddenly surprised by a party of six natives, soon after
leaving us at the islet, and hurried oflf to the shore : that
they had been left by their captors this morning, secured
as we had foimd them, and had remained in that condition
until released by us. He added that he had more to com-
municate by-and-bye.

30J RECONNOITRING UY NIGHT.

The joy of Browne and Max at our returDj accompanied
by the lost ones, may be imagined — but it can scarcely be
described. In fact, I am obliged to confess that we were
such children, as to enact quite " a scene," at this unexpected
meeting. Heartfelt and sincere were the thanksgivings
we that night rendered to Him, who had kept us in perfect
safety, and reunited us, after a separation made so distress-
ing by our uncertainty as to each other's fate.

After Arthur, Eiulo, and Johnny, had appeased their
hunger with the scanty remains of our suj^ply of provisions,
the two latter lay down upon a bed of ferns beneath the
Aoa, and were soon sleeping as soundly and peacefully, as
though all our troubles and dangers were now at an end.
How easily they put in practice the philosophy that vexes
itself not about the future ! Exercising the happy pri"\n lege
of childhood, they cast upon others, in wliom they placed im-
plicit confidence, the responsibility of thhiking and planning
for them — free from all care and anxiety themselves,

Arthur now gave us a more detailed account of what had
occurred since our separation.

" Do you remember," said he, when lie had finished,
*' hearing Eiulo, in talking of aifairs at Tewa, make men-
tion of a person named Atolio 1"

" Atolio t" said Browne, " was not that the name of an
uncle of his whom he made out to be a strange, imnatural
sort of monster, even for a heathen, and who concc»cted a
plot for the murder of his own father and brother, a"-d
afterwards attempted to kill Eiulo by rolling rocks down
a precipice after him in the woods?"

" The same," answered Arthur. " I hardly supposed that
you would have remembered it, as no oue but myself seemed
to take much interest in Eiulo's reminiscences of Tewa, the

rest of you being obliged to get them at second-hand,

RECONNOlTKlNa UX NIGHT. 35o

tfirough me as iuterpreter. Well; that AtoUo has reached
this island in some way, with a band of followers ; it was hy
tJiem that we were captured yesterday ; it is from his power
that we have just escaped."

" What is this Atollo like V inquired Browne. " Is he a
tallj large-framed man, but gaunt and spare as a half-
starved hound?"

" Yes, with sharp features, and a wild, restless eye."

" Why, then," continued Browne, turning to me, " it was*
he, who was at the head of the second party of natives that
we saw this morning by the shore."

We now gave Arthur an account of our rencontre with
the savages; but no particular mention was made of
the destruction of the canoe, or of the lion-like old man
who seemed to be the leader of those who fled.

" And little Eiulo's dread of this striuige uncle of his,"
said Browne, " is then so great, that he preferred running
away to us again, to remaining with his own people?""

" Incredible as it may seem," answered Arthur, " I am
convinced that his fears are not without foundation, and I
even believe that this man intended to take his life, and
would have done so, had we not escaped."

" Incredible, indeed !" exclaimed Browne, " and what
could be the motive for so atrocious a crime?"

"I know of none that seems sufficient to account for it
fully, and I am therefore almost forced to regard the man
as a monomaniac."

Arthur thought that Atollo had probably made some
further desperate attempt against his brother at Tewa, and
having failed in it had fled hither with a part of his
followers, among whom some quarrel had since arisen, in
the prosecution of which they had been engaged, when we
witnessed the flight and pursuit along the shore. This,

354 RECONNOITRING BY NIGHT.

however, was mere conjecture : tliey had talked but little
in his presence, and he had not been able to learn any thing
from the conversation which he had overheard, as to the
cause of their coming hither. Eiulo had been questioned
minutely by them, and from him they had ascertained that
there were four more of us upon the island.

Morton inquired of Arthur, whether he apprehended that
any serious effort would be made by the savages to find us,
and what kind of treatment we should probably receive in
case we should fall into their power.

" That search will be made for us," answered the latter,
"I have not the slightest doubt; and I do not think that
we can look for any mercy, if we fiill into their hands,
since to-day's affray and escape."

"This feud among themselves," said Browne, "may keep
them so busy as to afford no leisure for troubling themselves
about us. I have some hope that they will use those ugly-
looking clubs upon one another, to such purpose, as to rid
us of them altogether."

"That old giant," said Max, "who ran away, with such
an awkward air, as if he wasn't at all used to it, will cer-
tainly do some mischief if they once come to blows."

" Ay," pursued Browne, " though he didn't look quite so
wicked and like a warlock, as the gaunt, wild-eyed heathen
that led the chase, I will warrant him his full match in fair
and equal fight, man to man."

" "Well," said Ai-thur, who durmg the latter part of this
conversation had been apparently engaged in serious and
perplexed thought, "for to-night, at least, we are in no
danger. Let us now take our necessary rest, and to-
morrow we shall be freslier and better prepared to decide
upon the course of action to })e adopted."

THE SINGLE COMBAT. 355

CHAPTEE XXXII.

THE SINGLE COMBAT.

fn^triKATIOXS FOa DKFE.VCK — A DEMAND AXD REFUSAL — THB

TWO CHAMPIOXS.

*' On mail}' a bloody field before —

Man of the dark and evil heart! —
"We've met — pledged enemies of yore.

But now we meet no more to vsart —
Till to my gracious liege and lord,

By tliee of broad domains bereft,
From tliy red hand and plotting brain,

No fear of future wrong is left."

The sense of surrounding danger with -which we laid
down that night iipou our beds of fern beneath the Aoa,
continued to press darkly upon our minds even in sleep,
and awoke us at an early hour to confront anew, the per-
plexities and terrors of our situation.

Arthui*, in whose better understanding of the liabita and
character of the savages we confided, far from affording us
any additional encouragement, spoke in a manner calculated
to overthrow the veiy hopes upon which we had been resting.

We had supposed that they could have no motive but
iLe desire of revenge, for seeking or molesting us, and as
none of their number had been killed, or in all probability
even dangerously injured in the rencontre with us, we
trusted that this motive would not prove strong enough to
incite them to any earnest or long-continued search. But
Arthur liinted at another object, more controlling in the
niiud of their strange leader than any desire to prosecute
a [jftty revcnf^e, wichh would imii-!' him to seek for and

THE SINGLE COilUAT.

pursue uSj for the puri:)Ose of getting Eiulo agaiu into liis
power. This enmity — so fixed and implacable — against a
mere child, seemed incredible, even after all that had been
said or suggested in explanation of it, and the explanationa
themselves were far-fetched, and almost destitute of plau-
sibility.

And how could we hope to escape a pursuit so deter^
mined and persevering as Arthur anticipated ? Whither
could we flee for safety 1 To think of successful resistance
to AtoUo and his ba,nd, if discovered by them, seemed idle.
Max suggested Palm Islet as the most secure retreat with
which we were acquainted. But Arthur now broached .*
more startling plan. ";N"o where upon this island," said
he, "can we longer consider ourselves secure. The only
step that holds out any prospect of safety is to leave it in
the yawl, and sail for Tewa."

"Is there any certainty," said Browne, "that we can
find it ? Do we even know positively where, or in what
direction from this place it is ; and shall we not incur the
risk of getting lost again at sea?"

" I would rather take that risk," said Max, " than remaiii
here, within reach of these savages — any thing is preferable
to falling into their power."

"I confess," said Arthur, "that we Imow nothing cer-
tainly in regard to the distance, or even the direction of
Tewa, but I think we have good reason to believe that it
lies about forty or fifty miles to the northward."

We could not, however, bring ourselves thus suddenly to
adopt a resolution so momentous, and it was at last tacitly
decided to continue for the present, at least, at the islet.

" If we are to remain here," said Arthur, on perceiving
that there was no disposition to act immediately upon any
of the suggestions which had been made, "let us make

THE SINGLE COMHAT.

;]57

such preparation as we can, to defeuil ourdelve.s ii'it sliall

be necessary."

)

This surprised us all ; it seemed worse than useless t(
think of forcible resistance to a party as numerous as that
of Atollo ; coming from Arthur such a suggestion was to
me doubly surprising.

" I see," said he, " that the notion of attempting to
defend ourselves, if discovered, seems to you a desperate
one — but I believe it to be our only course— we can expect
no mercy from Atollo."

" Surely," said Morton, " they can have no sufficient mo-
tive for murdering us in cold blood. But, fresh from another
conflict with them, we could not perhaps look for forbear
ance, if in their power. Against tcs they cannot now, it seems
to me, cherish any feelings so vindictive as yoa imply."

"And suppose it to be so? Suppose that they merely
aim at Eiulo's life, without wishing to molest us?"

" I don't fear that I shall be misunderstood, if I speak
i.lalniy," unsw^reJ Morton, after a pause. "It seems,
t'i-o:n what you liave intimated, that for some reason they
wish to get Eiulo into their hands; they are his own

peo])le, and their leader is his own uncle; have we any
right to refuse liim to them?"

" Why, Morton ! " interposed Browne, warmly, " what
cold-blooded doctrine is this?"

" Have patience, a minute, and hear me out — I cannot
bring myself to believe that they actually intend him

harm; I think there must be some mistake or misap-
prehension in regard to this alleged design against his life,
utterly improbable as it is in itself."

"But Arthur imderstands all that, far better than vou
or I," interi'upted Browne, once more, "and it is clear
t)iat the poor child stands in morta. ^read of thi^ luaji. '

3o8 TrlE SINGLE COMBAT.

"I was going to add," resumed Morton, "that even if
thi.s danger does exist, it is entirely out of our power to
afford him protection against it: we should merely throw
a\vay. our lives, in a desperate and unprofitable attempt.
It Biay.^eem unfeeling to talk of giving him iip; but will
not these people be far more likely to act with cruelty,
both towards him and us, after being excited and enraged
by a fruitless opposition^ I have spoken frankly: but
whatever is soberly determined upoUj however unwise iu
my viewj I will abide by."

*' i admit," answered Arthur, '• that there is little
prospect of success in a conflict with them : but I regard
our fate as certain if we submit, and we can but be slain
in resisting. I am so fully satisfied of Atollo's designs in
respect to him, that I should feel in giving him uj), as if I

were an accessary to his murder."

" Let us rather defend ourselves to the very last extre-
mity/' said Browne, earnestly, " if we are so unfortunate
as to be found."

" If," said Max, with an excited air, — ■" if I x-eally be-
lieved they would kill Eiulo, I should say, never give him
up, whatever the consequences may be; — audi do thirk
this Atollo must be au incarnate fiend. I don't believe it
will make any difference in their treatment of us whether
we resist or not."

" O no!" cried Johnny, who had been listening eagerly
to this conversation, while Eiulo stood looking wistfully
on, as if he. knew that it concerned him. "O no! don't
give liim up to that wicked man. I woxdd fight, myseit)
if I had my bow and arrows, but they took them away
from me: can't we hide ourselves in the banian-tree? —
they never will think of looking for us there?"

" That is not a bad sun-o-c:^tion," said Morton, " and ii

THE SINGLE COMBAT. 359

we sliould be discovered, it is a strong place to defend.
We can move easily and quickly about on that strong
horizontal framework of branches, and it will be a haz-
ardous undertaking to climb those straight smooth trunks,
in our faces."

It seemed, in fact, as if a party stationed upon the roof
(as it might be termed) of this singular tree, would occupy
a vantage-ground from which it would require strong odds
to dislodge them, and the assailants, unless provided with
fire-arms, or missile weapons, would labour under almost
insurmountable difficulties.

Arthur discovered a place where it was easy to climb
quickly into the tree, and requested us all to note it par-
ticularly, in order that we might effect a retreat without
loss of time, if it should become necessary. Johnny and
Eiulo were to take refuge there at the first alarm.

Browne proceeded to cut a number of bludgeons from
stout saplings, which he then deposited in different places
among the branches, ready to be used, in defending our-
selves, if pursued thither. Max collected a quantity of
large stones, and fragments of rock, along the shore, and
from the bed of the brook, and wrapping them in parcels
of leaves, he hoisted them into the roof of the grove-tree,
and secured them there.

Morton surveyed these preparations with a grave smile,
and none of us, I think, placed much reliance on their
efficacy. We trusted that there would be no occasion to
resort to them.

The supply of provisions which we had brought with
us was exhausted, but the painful suspense, and constant
apprehension incident to our present circumstances, long
prevented any thought of hunger. It was not until the
day had passed without any alarm, and it was beginning

360 THE SINGLE COMBAT.

to grow darkj that we experienced any inclination to eat.
Arthur and I then went in search of food, but could ob-
tain none, except a quantity of pandanug cones which we
gathered from a group of trees near the waterfall. The
kernels of these were the only food that any of us tasted

that day.

At night, it was deemed best to keep a watch, in order

to guard against any surprise. As we made our arrange-
ments for this purpose, my thoughts reverted to the time
of our sufferings at sea in the boat. But in our present
position, sought and pursued by malignant human beings,
bent upon taking our lives, and who might at that moment
be prowling near, there was something more fearful than
any peril from the elements, or even the dread of starva-
tion itself.

But the night passed without disturbance or alarm of
any kind, and in the morning we began ^o indulge the
hope that Arthur had overrated the strength of the feel-
ings by which Atollo was actuated, and to shake off in
some degree the profound depression of the preceding
even hi g.

With the abatement of our fears and the partial return
of tranquillity of mind, we became more sensible to the
demands of hunger. Max and Morton ventured a little
way into the adjoining forest in search of birds, and returned
in less than half an hour with about a dozen pigeons, which
they had knocked down with sticks and stones. Arthur
had in the meantime caught quite a string of the yellow-
fish which had so perseveringly rejected all Max's over-
tures a couple of days since. Morton then kindled a fire
to cook our food, though we felt some hesitation about this,
being aware that the smoke might betray us to the savages,
if they should happen to be at the time in the neighbour-

THE SINGLE COMBAT. 361

hood. Bat Max declared that falling into their hands ^va3
a fate preferable to starvation, and that rather than eat
raw fish and birds, he would incur the risk of discovery by
means of the fire. In the absence of cooking utensils, we
liastily scooped out a Polynesian oven, and covered tlie
bottom with a layer of heated stones, upon which the food,
carefully wrapped in leaves, was deposited : another layer
of hot stones was placed on toi>, and the whole then covered
with fresh leaves and earth. This is the method adopted
by the natives for baking bread-fruit and fish, and witli
the exception of the trouble and delay involved, it is equal
to anything that civilized ingenuity has devised for similar
purposes, from the old-fashioned Dutch-oven to tlie most
recent style of "improved kitchen ranges" with which T
am acquainted. The heat being equally diffused through-
out the entire mass, and prevented from escaping by the
wrapping of leaves and earth, the subject operated upon,
whether fish, fowl, or vegetable, is thoroughly and uni-
formly cooked.

Max had just opened the oven, and was busily engaged
in taking out and distributing the contents, while the rest
of us were gathered in a group around the spot, when
Eiulo suddenly uttered a shrill cry, and springing iip, stood
gazing towards the west side of the brook, as if paralyzed
by terror.

Looking up, we saw two natives standing at the edge of
the wood quietly watching us. One of them I at once
recognized as the lithe and active leader, whom T had
seen upon the shore in swift pursuit of the fugitives.

Our first impulse, was to spring at once into the Aoa,
according to the understanding to which we had partially
come, as to what we were to do if discovered. But a
second glance showed that there were but two enemies iu

302 THE SINGLE COMBAT.

sightj and as Arthur, to whom we looked for an example,
gave no signal for such a retreat, we hastily snatched np
pur weapons, and placed ourselves beside him.

AtoUo's quick eye — for it was he — ran from one to
another of us, until it x'ested upon Elulo, when coming
down to the margin of the brook, he pronounced his name
in a loWj clear voice, and beckoned him with his hand to
come over to him.

Pale and trembling, like a bird under the charm of the
eerpent, Eiulo made two or three uncertain steps towards
^m, as if about mechanically to obey the summons: then,
as Johnny seized the skirt of his wrapper, and called out

to him, " not to mind that wicked man," he paused, and
looked round upon ua with a glance, half appealing, half
inquiring, which said more plainly than words — " Must I

go ?— Can you protect me — and will you ? "

Arthur now stepped before him, and addressed some
words to AtoUo in his own language, the purport of which

I could only guess.

The other listened attentively without evincing any sur-
prise, and then tnade answer, speaking rapidly and by jerks
as it were, and scanning us all the while with the eye of a
hawk.

When he had finished, Arthur turned to us. " This man
requires us, he said, to give up Eiulo to him; he claims
him as his brother's son, and says that he wishes to convey
him home to Tewa. He promises to leave us unmolested
if we comply, and threatens us with death if we refuse :

you see it concerns us all — what do you say ? "

Ai'thur was very pale. He looked towards Morton,
who said nothing, but stood leaning against one of the
pillars of the Aoa, with his eyes steadfastly bent upon the
ground.

THE SINGLE COMBAT. 363

"Ask Eiulo," said Browne, ''if this man is his uncle."
Tlie question was accordingly put, and the trembling

boy answered hesitatingly, that he did not know — but he

believed that he was.
" Ask him," pui'sued Browne, " if ho is wi'ding to go -with

him."

Arthur put the question formally, and Eiulo, grasping

his arm, while Johnny still held fast by his skirt, answered
with a shudder that he was afraid to go with him.
" Ask him why he is afraid," continued Browne.

The answer was, that he believed his uncle would kill
him.

These questions were put loud enough to be easily heard
by Atollo, and Arthur deliberately repeated the answers
first in Tahitian, and then in English.

" Weil," said Browne, " I am now quite ready with an
answer, as far as I am concerned. I never will consent to
give up the poor boy to be murdered. He is old enough
to choose for himself, and I think it would be right to
resist the claim even of a father, under such circumstances."

" la that to be our answer 1 " said Arthur, looking
round.

It was a bold stand to take, situated as we were, and we
felt it to be so; but it seemed a hard and cruel thing to
yield up our little companion to the tender mercies of his
iinnatural relative. Though there were pale cheeks and
unsteady hands among us, as we signified our concurrence
in this refusal (which we all did except Morton, who re-
mained silent), yet we experienced a strange sense of
relief when it was done, and we stood committed to the
result.

Arthur now motioned Johnny and Eiulo to climb into
the tree, then turning to Atollo, he said that as the bt:»y

3G4 THE sl^'v3ti^ combat.

preferred reinuiuiug ^Yi.tIl us, we were resolved to protect

him to the extent of oar ability.

By this time we had somewhat regained our aelf-pos-

session, and stood grasping our weapons, though not

anticipating any immediate attack. Much to my surprise,

Atollo had during the conference manifested neither anger

nor impatience. When Arthur announced our icfasal to

comply with his demand, he merely noticed with a smile

our belligerent attitude, and advanced into the brook as if

about to come over to the islet, swinging a long curving

weapon carelessly by his side, and followed by the other

savage.

Browne, holding his club in his left hand, and a heavy

stone in his right, stood beside me, breathing hard through

his set teeth.

"The foolish heathen]" exclaimed he, "does he expect
to subdue us by his looks, — that he comes on in this
fashion?"

It did, in fact, seem as though he supposed that we
would i*ot dare to commence an attack upon him, for he
continued to advance, eyeing us steadily. Just as he gained
tlie middle of the brook, three or four more savages came
out of the forest, and one of them ran towards him, with
an exclamation which caused him to tui-n at once, and on
hearii.g what the other eagerly uttered with gestures indi-
cathig some intelligence of an ui'gent and exciting chai-acter,
he walked back to the edge of the wood, and joined the
group gathered there.

A moment afterwards, Atollo, attended by the messenger,
as he appeared to be, plunged into the forest, first giving
to the others, wlio remained upon the shore, some direction,
which from the accompanying gesture, appeared to have
reference to ourselves.

TiiE SINGLE COMliAT. '^6*

Jolmny aud EiuJo liad already climbed into the Aoa,
whither we stood ready to follow, at a mementos notice.
The group of savages opposite us seemed to have no other
object in view than to prevent our escape, for they did not
ofter to molest us. Soon after Atollo disappeared, two
more of his party came out of the wood, and I immediately
recognized one of them, who wal"ked stiffly and with diffi-
culty, seeming but just able to drag himself about, as the
scarred savage with whom Browne had had so desperate a
struggle. We now thought it pi'udent to eifect our retreat
into the tree without further loss of time, but at the first
movement which we made for that purpose, the natives set
up a shout, and dashed into the water towards us, probably
thinking that we were about to try to escape by getting to
the further shore.

They pressed us so closely that we had not a moment to
spare, and had barely climbed beyond their reach when
they sprang after us. One active fellow caught Browne
(who was somewhat behind the rest) by the foot, and en-
deavoured to drag him from the trunk he was climbing,
in which he would probably have succeeded, had not Max

let fall a leaf-basket of stones directly upon his head, which
stretched him groaning upon the ground, with the blood
gushing from his mouth and nose.

At this moment Atollo himself, with, the rest of his
party, joined our besiegers below, and at a signal from
him, the greater part of them immediately commenced
scaling the tree at different i^oints. Our assailants num-
bered not more than thirteen or fourteen, including
Browne's former foe, who did not seem to be in a con-
dition to climb, and the man recently wounded, who was
Btill lying upon the ground, apparently lifeless. AVe felt
that we were now irrevocably committed to a struggle of life

3f5f) THE SINGLE COMBAT.

and death, and we were fully determined to fight manfully,
and to the very last. We stationed ourselves at nearly
equal distances among the branches, armed with the
bludgeons previously placed there, so as to be able to

hasten to any point assailed, and to assist one another as
occasion should require. The savages yelled and screeched
hideously, with the hope of intimidating us, but without any
effect, and we kept watching them quietly, and meeting
them so promptly at every point, that they were uniformly
obliged to quit their hold and drop to the ground before
tliey could effect a lodgment among the branches. Occa-
sionally we addressed a word of encouragement to one
another, or uttered an exclamation of triumph at the
discomfiture of some assailant more than ordinarily fierce
and resolute- But with this exception, we were as quiet
as if industriously engaged in some ordinary occupation.
This Listed for full fifteen minutes, without our enemies
having gained the slightest advantage. AtoUo himself
had not, thus far, taken any part in the attack, except to
direct the others.

At length, he fixed his eye upon Browne, who stepping
about in the top of the tree with an agility that I should
not have expected from him, and wielding a tremendous
club, had been signally successful in repelling our assailants.
After watching him a moment, he suddenly commenced
climbing a large stem near him, with the marvellous
rapidity that characterized all his movements. Browne
had just tumbled one of the savages to the ground
howling with pain, from a crushing blow upon the wrist,
and he now hastened to meet this more formidable foe.
But he was too late to prevent him from getting into the
tree, and he had already gained a footing upon the hori-
zontal branches, when Browne reached the spot. AtcJlp

THE SINGLE COMBAT. 367

was Without Ally weapon^ and this vras a disadvantage
tnax might have rendered all his strength and address
unavailing, had not the foliage and the lesser branches of
tlie tree, interfered with the swing of the long and heavy
weapon of his adversary, and the footing being too insecure
to permit it to be used -with full effect. As Browne
steadied himself, and drew back for a sweeping blow,
Atollo shook the boughs upon which he stood, so violently,
as greatly to break the force of the stroke, which he re-
ceived upon his arm, and rushing upon him before he coiild
recover his weapon, he wrested it from his grasp,and hurled
him to the ground, where he was instantly seized and
secured by those below.

AVhile Atollo, ai'med with Browne's club, advanced upon
Max and Arthur, who were nearest him, several of his
followers, taking advantage of the diversion thus effected,
succeeded in ascending also, and in a few moments they
were making their way towai'ds us from all sides. Leaving
them to complete what he had so well begun, Atollo
liastened towards the spot where Johnny and Eiulo were
endeavouring to conceal themselves among the foliage.
Though DOW outnumbered, and hopeless of success, we
continued a desperate resistance. The ferocity of our
adversaries was excited to the higliest j)itch. There w.as
scarcely one of them who had not received some injury in
the attack, sufficiently severe to exasperate, without dis-
abling him. We had used our clubs with such vigour
and resolution in opposing their attempts at climbing,
that every second man at least, had a crushed hand or a
bruised head, and all had received more or le'5s hard blows.
Smartmg with pain, and exulting in the prospect of speedy
ana ample revenge, they pressed upon us with yells and
cries that showed that there was no mercy for us if taken.

JGS THE SINGLE COMBAT,

But even at that trying moment our courage did put fnil
or falter. We stood together near the centre of the tree,
where tlie branches were strong and tJie footing firm.
Only a part of our assailants had weapons, and, perceivinf^
the utter desperation with which we fought, they drew
(j^ck a little distance until clubs could be passed up from
beloWj and thus afforded us a momentary respite. But
we well knew that it was only momentary, and that in
their present state of mind, these men would dispatch us
with as little scruple as they would mischievous wild
beasts hunted and brought to bay.

" Nothing now remains," said Morton, " but to die
courageously: we have done every th'wg else tliat we
could do/'

"It does appear to have come to that at last," said
Arthur. "If I did unwisely in advising resistance, and
perilling your lives as well as my own, I now ask your
forgiveness; on my own account I do not regret it,"

" There is nothing to forgive," answered Morton, " you
did what you believ^od was right, and if I counselled other-
wise, you will do me the justice to believe that it was
because I differed with you in judgment, and not because
I shrunk from the consequences."

"I never did you the injustice to think otherwise,"

answered Arthur.

" If our friends could but know what has become of us,"
sold Max, brushing away a tear, " and how we died here,
fighting manfully to the last, I should feel more entirely
resigned; but I cannot bear to think that our fate wiJl
never be known."

" Here they come once more," said Arthur, as the savage?
havijig now obtained their weapons, advanced to fimsh
thoir work, "and now, may God have mercy upon x^s^l*'

Wft all joined devoutly in Artluir's prayer, for we be-
lieved tliat death was at h;ind. Vv"e theii grasped our
weapons, and stood ready for the attack.

At this instant a long and joyous cry from Eiulo reached
our ears. For several minntea he had been ehiding the
pursuit of Atollo with a wonderful agility, partly the etfect
of frantic dread. Just when it seemed as though he could
no longer escapcj he suddenly uttered this cry, repeating
the words, "Wakatta! Wakatta!" — then springing to the
groimd, he ran towards the brook, but was intercepted
and seized by one of the savages below.

There was an immediate answer to Eiulo's crv, in one of
the deepest and most powerful voices I had ever heard,
and which seemed to come from the west shove of the
stream. Looking in that direction I saw, and recoguized

at once, the lion-like old man, who had fled along the beach,
pursued by Atollo and his party. Several men, apparently
his followers, stood around him. He now bounded across
the stream, towards the spot where Eiulo was still strug-
gling with his captor, and calling loudly for help.

Atollo instantly sprang to the ground, and flew to the
spot ; then, with a shrill call, he summoned his men about
him. Eiulo*s outcry, and the answer which had been made
to it, seemed to have produced a startling effect upon
Atollo and his party. For the moment we appeared to be
entirely forgotten.

" This must be Wakatta," said Arthur eagerly, " it can
be no other. There is hope yet." With a rapid sign for
us to follow, he glided dovm the nearest trunk, and, darting
past Atollo 's party, he succeeded In the midst of the con-
fusion, in reaching the old man and his band, who stood
upon the shore of the islet. Morton and I were equnJly
iuccessful. Max, who came last, was observed, and au

370 THE SIKGLE COMBAT.

effort made to intercept him. But dodging cue savage,
and bursting from the grasp of another, who seized him
by the arm as he was running at full speed, he also joined
uSj and we ranged ourselves beside Wakatta and his men.
Browne, Eiulo, and Johnny, were prisoners.

It now seemed as though the conflict was about to be
renewed upon more eqxial terms. Our new and unexpected
allies numbered seven, including their venei'able leader.
On the other hand, our adversaries were but twelve, and
of these, several showed evident traces of the severe usage
they had recently received, and were hardly in a condition
for a fresh struggle.

There was a pause of some minutes, during which the
two parties stood confronting each other, with hostile, but
hesitating looks, Wakatta tJien addressed a few words to
Atollo, iu the course of which he several times repeated
Eiulo's name pointing towards him at the same time, and
appearing to demand that he should be released.

The reply was an unhesitating and decided refusal, as
I easily gathered from the look and manner that accom-
panied it,

AVakatta instantly swung up his club, uttering a deep
guttural exclamation, which seemed to be the signal for
attack, for his people raised their weapons and advanced
as if about tc rush upon the othei g. We had in the mean-
time provided ourselves with clubs, a number of which
were scattered about upon the ground, and we prepared
to assist the party with whom we had become so strangely
associated.

But at a woi'd and gesture from Atollo, Wakatta low-
ered his weapon again, and the men on both sides paused
in tlieir hostile demonstrations, while their leadei's onc«
more engaged in conference.

THE Sli^GLE COMBAl'. 371

Atollo now seemed to make some proposition to Wa-
k.itta, "which was eagerly accepted by the latter. Each
then spoke briefly to his followers, who uttered cries of
the wildest excitement, and suddenly became silent again.
"J'he two nest crossed together to the opposite shore, and
while we stood gazing in a bewildered manner at these pro-
ceedings, and wondering what could be their meaning, the
natives also crossed the brook, and formed a wide circle
around their chiefs, on an open grassy space at the edge
of the forest. We still kept with "Wakatta's party, who
arranged themselves in a semicircle behind him.

" What does this mean ! " inquired Morton of Arthur,
"it looks as though they were about to engage in single
combat."

" That is in fact their purpose," answered Arthur,

"And will that settle the difficulty between these hos-
tile parties?" said Morton, "will there not be a general
fight after all, whichever leader is victor?"

"I rather think not," answered Arthur, "the party
whose champion falls, will be too much discouraged to
renew the fight — they will probably run at once."

" Then our situation will be no better than before, in
case the old warrior should prove unfortunate. Can't you
speak to his followers and get them to stand ready to
attack their enemies if their chief falls."

"I will try what I can do," answered Arthur, "and let
us be ready to act with them,"

Meantime the two principal parties had completed their
preparations for the deadly personal combat in which they
were about to engage. Atollo took from one of his fol-
lowers a long-handled curving weapon, the inner side of
which was lined with a row of sharks' teeth, and then
placed himself in the middle of the open space, first care-

.A

S72 THE SINGLE dOitllAt.

fullj kicking out of the way a number of fallen branches
which strewed the ground. His manner was confident,
and clearly bespoke an anticipated triumph.

Wakatta was armed with the massive club, set with
spikes of iron-wood, which he carried when I first saw him
upon the shore. He advanced deliberately towards his
adversary, until they stood face to face, and within easy
reach of one another's weapons.

The men on both sides remained perfectly quiet, eyeing
every movement of their respective champions with the
intensest interest. In the breathless silence that px'evailed,
the gentle murmur of the brook sliding over its pebbly
bed, and even the dropping of a withered leaf, could be
heard distinctly.

Glancing over to the islet, I saw tliat Browne, although
his hands appeared to be bound behind him, had rolled
himself to the edge of the brook, from which he was watch-
ing what was going forward.

Each of the two combatants regarded the other with
the air of a man conscious that he is about to meet a for-
midable advei'sary; but in AtoUo's evil eye, there gleamed
an assured and almost exulting confidence, that increased
my anxiety for his aged opponent ; his manner, neverthe-
less, was cautious and wary, and he did not suffer the
slightest movement of Wakatta to escape him.

They stood opposite each other, neither seeming to be
willing to commence the conflict;, until Wakatta, with an

impatient gesture, warned his adversary to defend himself,
and then swinging up his ponderous club in both hands,
aimed a blow at him, which the other avoided by spring-
ing lightly backwards.

And now the figlit commenced in earnest. Atollomade
uo attempt to guard or parry the blows levelled at him-

THE SINGLE COMDAT. 373

whicli would indeed have been idle— but with astoiiisluug
agility and quickness of eye, he sprang aside, or leaped
backj always in time to save himself. He kept moving
around the old man, provoking his attacks by feints and
half-blows, but making no serious attack himself. There
was a cool, calculating expression upon his sharp and cruel
countenance, and he did not appear to be half so earnest
or excited as his antagonist. I saw plainly that the wily
savage was endeavouring to provoke the other to some
careless or imprudent movement, of whicli he stood ready
to take instant and fatal advantage.

At length some such opportunity as he was waiting for,
was afforded him. The old warrior, growing impatient of
this indecisive manoeuvring, began to press his adversary
liarder, and to follow him up with an apparent determina-
tion to bring matters to a speedy issue. Atollo retreated
before him, until he was driven to the edge of the brook,
where he paused, as if resolved to make a stand, Wakatta
now seemed to think that he had brought his foe to bay,
and whirling round liis club, he delivered a sweeping blow
full at his head with such fury, that when Atollo avoided
it by dropping upon one knee, the momentum of the pon-
derous weapon swung its owner half ro\md, and before he
Jiad time to recover himself, his watchful adversary, spring-
ing lightly up, brought down his keen-edged weapon full
upon his grey head, inflicting a ghastly wound.

And now AtoUo's whole demeanour changed : the time
for caution and coolness was passed ; the moment for de-
stroying his disabled foe had come. IVhile his followers
set up an exulting yell, he darted for^ ard to follow up his
advantage : the triumphant ferocity of his look is not to
be described. Wakatta was yet staggering from the effect
of the blow upon hi,? Jiead, when he received a secoml,

374 THE SINGLE COMBAT.

\vhicli slightly gashed his left shoulder, and glancing from
it, laid open his cheek. But to my astonishment, the

strong old man, cruelly wounded as he was, seemed to be
neither disabled nor dismayed. The keen-edged, but light
weapon of Atollo was better calculated to inflict painful
wounds than mortal injuries. Either blow, had it been
from a weapon like that of Wakatta, would have termi-
nated the combat.

Before Atollo could follow up his success by a third and
decisive stroke, the old warrior had recovei'ed himself, and
though bleeding profusely, he looked more formidable than
ever. He at once resumed the offensivOj and with such
vigour, that the other, with all his surprising activity, now
found it difficult to elude his rapid but steady attacks.
He was now thoroughly aroused. Atollo seemed gradually
to become confused and distressed, as he was closely fol-
lowed around the circle without an instant's respite being
allowed him. At last he was forced into the stream,

where he made a desperate stand, with tlie manifest de-
termination to conquer or ]>crish there. But Wakatta

rushed headlong upon him, and holding his club in his

right hand, he received upon his left arm, without any

attempt to avoid it, a blow which Atollo aimed at his heai t :

at the same instant he closed, and succeeded in seizin^ his

adversary by the wrist. Once in the old man's gras]), he

was a mei-e child, and in spite of his tremendous efforts,
his other hand was soon mastered, and he was throv/n t

(.)

tlie gi-ound. It was a horrible scene that followed. 1
wiwhe*! tliat the life of the vanquished man could have
been spared. But his excited foe had no thought of mercy,
and shortening his club, he held him fast with one hand,
and despatched him at a single blow with the ether.

TIIF. MIGRATION. 3/5

CHAPTEK XXXI 11.

THE MIGRATION.

A TEWAN M.D.— EXCHANGE O? CIVILITIES— MAX's FAREWELL BBKAK-

TXST — A GLANCE AT THE FUTURE.

" We go from the shores where those blue billows roll,
But that Isle, and those waters, shall live in my soul."

As the victor rose to his feet, his followers uttered a
fierce yell, and precipitated themselves upon the opposite
party, which instantly dispersed and fled.

Wakatta cast a half- remorseful glance at the corpse of

his adversary, and raising his powerful voice rec;illed his
men from the pursuit. Then wading mto the brook, he
began to wash the gore from his head and face: one of
bis people, who from his official air of bustling alacrity,

must have been a professional character, or at least an
amateur surgeon, examined the wounds, and dexterously
applied an improvised poultice of chewed leaves to his
gashed face, using broad strips of bark for bandages.

Meantime Arthur hastened over to the islet, and released
our companions from the ligatures of tappa which confined
their limbs. Eiulo was no sooner freed, than he ran
eagerly to "Wakatta, who took him in his arms, and em-
braced him tenderly. After a rapid interchange of ques-
tions and replies, during which they both shed tears, they
seemed to be speaking of ourselves^ Elulo looking frequently
towards us, and talking with great animation and earnest^
uess. They tlien approached the place where we were

37(3 THE JUGRATIOX.

i-tanding, and Wakntta spoke a few words, pointing alter-
nately from Eiulo to us. Arthur made some reply, where-
upon the old warrior went to him, and bending down his
gigantic irame gave him a cordial hug; his fresh bandaged
wounds probably caused him to dispense with the usual
ceremony of rubbing faces.

" I expect it will be our turn next," said Max, with a
grimace, " if so, observe how readily I shall adapt myself
to savage etiquette, and imitate my example."

It proved as he anticipated, for Wakatta, who must
have received a highly flattering account of us from Eiulo,
•was not satisfied until he had bestowed upon each one of
us, Johnny included, similar tokens of his regard, Max
rushing forward, with an air of " empressemeut," and taking
WiQ initiative^ as he had promised. The " surgeon," who
seemed to tliink that some friendly notice might also be
expected from him, in virtue of his official character, now
advanced with a patronizing aii', and in his turn paid us

the same civilities, nob omitting the rubbing of faces, as
]ji3 chief had done. Another one of our "allies," as Max
called them, a huge, good-natured-looking savage, i^icked
up Johnny, very much as one would a lap-dog or a pet-
kitten, and began to chuck him under the chin, and sti-uke
his hair and cheeks, greatly to the annoyance of tlie object
of these flattering attentions, wlio felt his dignity sadly

compromised by such treatment.

As soon as these friendly advances were over, Arthur
entered into a conversation with. "Wakatta, which, fx*om
the earnest expression of the countenance of the latter,
appeared to relate to something of great interest. Pre-
lently he spoke to his men, who seized their weapons with
an air of alacrity, as if preparing for some instant expe-
dition, and Arthur, turning to us, said Ih^t we must set

THE MIGRATION. 37/

out iu a body fox* the inlet where we had seen the canoe
of the other party, as it was thought of the utmost im-
portance to secure it if poasible. We started at once, at
a rapid rate, Wakatta leading the way, with tremendous
strides, and the big, good-natured fellow, taking Johnny
upon his back, in spite of his protestations that he could
run himself, quite as fast as was necessary. But on
reaching the inlet we found that the other party liad been
too quick for us; they were already through the surf, and
under sail, coasting along towards the opening in the reef
opposite Palm Islet, probably with the intention of return-
ing to Tewa.

It is now eight days since the events last narrated took
place. On the day succeeding, we buried Atollo on the
shore opposite Banian islet, together with one of his fol-
lowers, who had also been killed or mortally wounded in
the conflict with us. Two others of them, who were too
badly hurt to accompany the hasty flight to the inlet, are
still living in the woods, Wakatta having strictly forbidden

his people to injure them.

I ought here to explain the circumstances, as Arthur
learned them from Wakatta, which brought the natives to
our island. A civil war had recently broken out in Tewa,
growing out of the plots of the Frenchmen resident there,
and some discontented chiefs who made common cause
with them. One of the foreigners, connected by marriage
with the family of a powerful chief, had been subjected by
the authority of Eiulo's father, to a summary and severe
punishment, for an outrage of which he had been clearly
convicted. This was the immediate cause of the outbreak.
Atollo and his followers had issued from their fastnesses
and joined the insurgents; a severe and bloody b'^-ttle had

0.3 THE MI^UATION.

I

been fouglit^iu which they were completely successful, taking
the chief himself prisoner, and dispersing his adherents.

AVakatta, attended by the six followers now with him,
was at this time absent upon an excursion to a distant
part of the island, and the first intelligence which he re-
ceived of what had taken place, "was accompanied by the
notice that Atollo, with a formidable band, was then in
eager search of him. Knowing well, the relentless hatred
borne him by that strange and desperate man, and that
Tewa could furnish no lurking-place where he would be
long secure from his indefatigable pursuit, he had hastily
embarked for the island where he had once before taken
refuge, under somewhat similar circumstaiiees. Hither
his implacable foe had pursued him. This statement will
sufficiently explain what has been already related.

All our plans are yet uncertain. Wakatta meditates a
secret return to Tewa, confident that by his presence there,
now that tlie formidable Atollo is no more, he can restore his
chief to liberty and to his hereditary rights, if he yet
survives.

An experiment has been made with the yawl, in order
to ascertain whether she can safely convey our entire
party, savage and civilized, in case we should conclude to
leave the island. The result showed that it would scarcely
be prudent for so great a number to embark in her upon
a voyage to Tewa, and Wakatta and his people have now
commenced building a canoe, which is to be of sufficient
size to carry twenty persons.

Browne's prejudices against the " heathen savages," have
been greatly softened by what he has seen of these natives,
and he says that, " if the rest of them are equally well-
behaved, one might manage to get along with them quite
comfortably." Max has taken a great fancy to Wakatta,

TH3 MIGSATIOy. 379

^hom he en. phatically pronounces " a trump,'* a " regular
brickj" besides bestowing upon lilm a variety of other
elegant and original designationsj of the like complimentary
character. This may be owing in part, to the fact, tliat
the old warrior has promised him a bread-fruit plantation,
and eventually a pretty grand-daughter of his own for a
wife, if he will accompany liim to Tewa and settle there.

As the preparations of our allies advance towards com-
pletion, we are more and more reconciled to the thought
of embarking with them. Johnny has already commenced
packing his shells and " specimens" for removal. Max has
ascertained, greatly to his relief, for he had some doubts
on tlie subject, that tlie gridiron and other cooking utensils
can be stowed safely in the locker of the yawl, and he an-
ticipates much benevolent gratification in introducing these
civilized " institutions,'" among the barbarians cf Tewa.

The intestine feuds which still rage there, and the pro-
bability that " our side," will find themselves in the
minority, furnish the chief grounds of objection to the step
contemplated. But w^e would cheerfully incur almost any

danger that promises to increase our prospect of ultimately
reaching home.

There is some talk of a preliminary reconnoitring expe-
dition, by Wakatta and two or three of his people, for the
purpose of getting some definite information as to the pre-
sent position of affairs at Tewa, before setting out for it in
Ci body. IVTax, yesterday, finished his miniature ship, and
exhorted me to " wind up" our history forthwith, with a
Homeric description of the great battle at the islet, and
our heroic defence of the banian-tree. He declares it to
be his intention to enclose the manuscript in the hold of
the vessel and launch her when lialf-way to Tewa, in the
assured confidence that the winds and waves will waft it

JSO THE MiaRATION.

to its destination, or to nse his own pkrase, — " tliat wo
sliall yet be heard of in Hardscrabble."

Five days ago, the canoe was completed, and on the
succeeding afternoon, Wakatta, accompanied by 'Hlie
tloctor," and two other of his people, sailed for Tewa, for
the purpose of endeavouring to learn whether it would be
prudent for us to venture thither at present.

We have been, living of late at the cabin, and our " allies "
have made an encampment by the lake, within a hundred
paces of us. The state of feverish expectation naturally
produced by our present circumstances, prevents any thing
like regular occupation. "We do nothing all the day but
wander restlessly about among tlie old haunts which were
our favourites in the peaceful time of our early sojourn
here. Max has endeavoured to relieve the tedium, and
get up an interest of some sort, by renewing his attempts
against the great eel. But the patriarch is as wary, and
his stronghold beneath the roots of the buttress tree as im-
pregnable as ever, and all efforts to his prejudice, whether
by force or stratagem, still prove unavailing. To^ escape
ui some measure the humiliation of so mortifying a defeat,
Max now affects to be convinced that his venerable
antagonist is no eel after all, but an cid water-snake, in-
heriting his full share of the ancient wisdom of the serpent,
and by whom it is consequently no disgrace for any mortal
man to be outwitted.

For sevei^al days past, we have even neglected preparing
any regular meals, satisfying our hunger as it arose with
wliatever could be most readily procured.

Max pronounces this last, " an alarming indication of the
state of utter demoralization towards wliich we are hasten-
ing: ■'I'Ud. in fact, the commencement of a relapse into

barbariiiln." " One of the chief points of diiFerence" he
fe.'iys, -' between civilized and savage man, is, that the
former eats at stated and regular intervals, as a matter of
social duty, whereas the latter only eats when he is hungry !"
Two days later. Wakatta has returned from his expe-
dition, full of hope and confidence, and actually looking ten
years younger than when I first saw him. He says that
the position of affairs at Tewa is most promising. The
recently victorious rebels have fallen into fierce contentions
among themselves, and a large faction of them, with the

leaders of whicli he has entered into communication, is
willing to unite with him against the others, upon being
assured of indemnity for past offences. Eiulo's father still
lives, and has already gathered the nucleus of a force
capable of retrieving his fortunes.

All is now finally d-etennined upon, and we only wait for
a favourable breeze to bid adieu to these sliores.

The morning of Wakatta's return, also witnessed another
event of nearly equal importance. I allude to a great
farewell breakfast, given by Max in celebration of our ap-
proaching departure, as well as for the purpose of stemming
the current of the demoralizing influence above alluded
to. The " founder of the feast," together with Eiulo and
Johnny, was uj) preparing it with his own hospitable
hands, a full hour before the rest of us were awake.

It consisted of all the delicacies and luxuries that our
island can afford : tjiare were roasted oysters fresh from
the shore, and poached eggs ixesh from the nest (Max had
despatched one of the natives to Sea-birds' Point after them
before daylight) ; then there were fish nicely broiled, and
mealy taro, and baked bread-fruit, hot from a subterranean
Polynesian oven.

In the cnjoyincnt of this generous fare, our drooping

382 THE MIGRATiOX.

Spirits rose, and Max, as was his wont, became discur-
sive,

" What a humiliating reflection," exclaimed he, " tha*;

we should have permitted ourselves to be so diLiturbed ana

fluttered, by the prospect of a slight change in our affairs!

Why should we distrust our destiny, or shi'ink from our

mission ] Why these nervous apprehensions, and these

unreasonable doubts? — (Hear! hear!)

There is a providence that shapes our endSi
Koiigh-hew them how we will.*

Let US accept, then, the belief which all things tend to con-
firm, that a glorious future awaits us in our new sphere of
action at Tewa 1"

" Ah !" sighed Browne, after a momentary pause, " Tewa
may be a fine place — but I doubt if they have any such

oysters as these there." The action accompanying these
words must have given Eiulo a clue to their puri^ort, for
he hastened eagerly to protest, through Arthur, as inter-
preter, that the oysters at Tewa were much larger and
fatter; he added, that since we liked them so much, he
would have them all " tabooed," as soon as we arrived, so
that '"common people," wouldn't dare for their lives to
touch one."

" I used to regard the Uaboo,'" said Browne, "as an

arbitrary and oppressive heathen custom. But how
ignorant and prejudiced we sometimes are in regard to for-
eign institutions ! We must be very careful when we get
there about introducing rash innovations upon the settled
order of things."

" We will establish an enlightened system of common
schools," said Mas, "to begin with, and Arthur shall also
open a Sunday-school."

THE MigraTIOK, 383

^ A. '1*1 in the course of time we will found a college ia
ishich Browne shallbeprofeBsor of Elocution and Oratory,"
said Morton.

" And you," resumed Max, " sliall have a commission us

Major-General in the Republican army of Tewa, wliicU

you shall instruct in modern tactics, and lead to victory
against the rebels."

" In the Royal army, if you please," interrupted Browne ;
" Ilepublicanism is one of those ci-ude and pestilent innova-
tions, which I sliall set my face against ! Can any one breathe
so treasonable a suggestion in the presence of the heir-ap-
parent to the throne ? — If such there be, Maj.. ^-General
Morton, I call upon you to attach him for a traitor!"
" And I," cried Johnny, " what shall I do V
" Wliy," answered Max, " you shall rejoice the hearts of
the Tewan juveniles, by introducing among them the

precious lore of the story-books. The rising generation
shall no longer remain in heathen ignorance of Cinderella,
and Jack of the Bean-stalk, and his still more illustrious
cousin, the Giant-killer! The sufferings of Sinbad, the
voyages of Gulliver, the achievements of Munchausen, the
adventures of Crusoe, shall yet become to them familiar as
household words !"

"And Archer's mission shall be no less dignified and use-
ful," resumed Browne, " he shall keep the records of the
monarchy, and become the faithful historian of the happy,
prosperous, and glorious reign of Eiulo the First!"

THE END.